Ashleigh Gardner and Beth Mooney's half-centuries have helped Australia set India a target of 265 in Mackay, where the hosts are pursuing their 27th consecutive ODI victory.
Australia won the toss and reached 9-264 on Sunday, thanks largely to a momentum-shifting stand of 98 runs between Gardner (67) and Mooney (52) and some sloppy fielding the tourists' sloppy fielding.
Mooney was dropped on 29 and 38, while Gardner's 10 boundaries included a lofted six that brought up her half-century.
Gardner, en route to the highest score of her ODI career, benefited from a chance on 61 when India keeper Richa Ghosh inexplicably misread a skied edge.
It wasn't the most costly of India's various fielding errors, which included handing Nicola Carey a reprieve on three plus a stack of gifted runs, but it was the most straightforward.
Tahlia McGrath backed up Friday's career-best 74 with a superb knock of 47 off 32 balls, while Carey finished 12 not out.
Jhulan Goswami, who dismissed Meg Lanning and Rachael Haynes in a double-wicket maiden to again prove India's best bowler, did well to ensure only four runs came off the final over.
Mooney, who carried her bat to finish 125 not out and snatch a remarkable win at the same venue in Friday's night final-ball thriller, was relegated to No.5 in a rejigged order after Haynes returned from injury.
Mooney needed to steady once again, rallying after the hosts slipped to 4-87 in the 25th over of what had been a stop-start innings at that stage.
Meg Lanning was caught behind off the bowling of Goswami, logging her first ODI duck since Australia's World Cup semi-final loss to the same opposition in 2017.
Haynes (13), Alyssa Healy (35) and Ellyse Perry (26) got in and got out; although Healy had every right to feel unlucky after he dismissal was brought about through a powerful Perry drive.
Left-arm Rajeshwari Gayakwad accidently knocked the ball onto the stumps at the non-striker's end to remove Healy, ensuring one of numerous misfields brought some joy for India.
Australia made three changes for the final ODI in Mackay, where 19-year-old fast bowler Stella Campbell is making her international debut.
