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Ben Hilfenhaus claimed three wickets in an over as Australia completed an emphatic innings and 37-run victory over India in the third Test at Perth.

The seamer dismissed Vinay Kumar, Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma in five balls as Australia took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the four-match series.

Virat Kohli, who batted through the morning session to keep the hosts' victory push at bay, was last out.

He fell to Peter Siddle for 75 as India slumped from 171-6 to 171 all out.

Australia began the third day needing six wickets to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, while India, who resumed on 88-4, needed a further 120 runs to avoid a second successive innings defeat.

The signs appeared good early on as Kohli and Rahul Dravid negotiated the opening hour, despite Ryan Harris extracting some exaggerated movement off the seam, as the cracks in the pitch widened further on a hot day at the Waca.

Kohli, playing in his seventh Test, brought up his third half century by flicking Mitchell Starc to the mid-wicket boundary but Dravid fell three runs short of joining him, driving a wide Harris delivery onto his leg stump, to end their partnership on 84 and leave India 135-5.

"Virat batted really well, Dravid supported him, overall though we flopped," said India captain Mahendra Dhoni.

"Getting out below 200, there's not much for the bowlers. In this Test we should have scored more runs.

"We have not adapted well to the conditions quickly enough.

"The bowlers have shown they can take wickets, we need to put the runs on the board."

Dhoni too failed to master the conditions, scratching around for 22 deliveries before edging Siddle to Ricky Ponting at slip to fall for two as India reached lunch on 165-6.

Twenty balls after the interval it was all over for the tourists.

Hilfenhaus removed Kumar and Zaheer in successive deliveries, caught by skipper Michael Clarke at first slip, and two balls later had Ishant snapped up at short leg by Ed Cowan to finish with 4-54.

In the next over, Kohli's resistance was ended when he nicked a Siddle delivery to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin.

"I'm stoked, the boys are really happy," said Clarke.

"The bowling deserves credit, for getting out such an amazing batting line-up."

On David Warner, who hit the equal-fourth fastest Test century on the opening day to help put Australia in a commanding position, Clarke even compared him to former Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist.

"It's like opening the batting with Gilly," said Clarke. "He can hit it both sides.

"I love his enthusiasm. He's a great asset for Australia and he has a bright future."

India have now lost their last seven Tests on away soil, four by an innings, having being comprehensively outplayed in the 4-0 defeat by England last summer.

The final Test of the series begins on 24 January in Adelaide.