New Delhi: Australia’s minister for trade and investment Dan Tehan will be visiting India next week. During his visit, he will seek to further advance the progress towards a bilateral free trade agreement.
FTA, part of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), was also the main point of discussion during the recent 2+2 dialogue between Union commerce and industries minister Piyush Goyal and his Australian counterpart Tehan on August 27.
Tehan reiterated the principles adopted by both countries during the last session, stating that “Australia and India are committed to achieving an early harvest announcement on an interim agreement”. The interim agreement is expected to pave the way for a full agreement.
Tehan said he will be heading to India next week, “another partner with a mutual ineterst in an open, inclusive and resilient Indo-Pacific.”
CECA has been largely touted by experts as an attempt by Australia to diversify its global trade interest away from China. It is a part of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and the trade agreement has been under discussion since 2011.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be attending the first in-person summit of the Quad hosted by the US President on September 23, which will be attended by his Japanese counterpart Yoshihide Suga of Japan and Australian counterpart Scott Morrison.
