Australia has pushed back against US President Donald Trump’s criticism of India’s economy, with Trade Minister Don Farrell describing India as a nation brimming with “fantastic opportunities.”
Rejecting Trump’s “dead economy” dig, Farrell emphasised Canberra’s commitment to strengthening trade and investment ties with New Delhi. He underlined Australia’s opposition to tariffs, whether directed at Australia or India, and called for free and fair trade.
“Australia is keen to increase investment in India. Like Australia, India is a thriving democracy, and we want to work with countries like India to boost our two-way trade and investment,” Farrell said.
Backing Adani’s mining projects in Queensland and supporting uranium exports to India, Farrell stressed that Australia’s vast reserves of critical minerals and rare earths could help power India’s transition to clean energy.
“Australia is often described as the lucky country… we want to share our good luck with the people of India and improve the supply chain between Australia and India,” he noted.
Farrell also confirmed ongoing talks with India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), calling the discussions “productive.”
His remarks come as India-US trade relations face turbulence following the Trump administration’s decision to impose unprecedented tariffs of up to 50% on Indian goods — the highest among America’s trading partners. While Washington justifies the move citing India’s purchase of Russian oil, economists warn it could hit growth and jobs on both sides.
