Joint Press Statement on the India-Australia Trade Talks by Trade Ministers of Australia and India

  • Joint statement with:
  • Hon’able Mr. Piyush Goyal, Minister for Commerce and Industry, Food and Consumer Affairs and Textiles, India
  1. The Hon Dan Tehan MP, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Australia and Hon’able Mr. Piyush Goyal, Minister for Commerce and Industry, Food and Consumer Affairs and Textiles, India held a video conference on 26 August 2021.
  2. The Ministers appreciated the progress made in three rounds of talks between the chief trade negotiators of both sides and discussed the way forward for an early conclusion of a bilateral Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA). In this regard, the Ministers directed officials to speed up the negotiations and to meet as often as required to achieve an early harvest announcement by December 2021 on an interim agreement to liberalise and deepen bilateral trade in goods and services, and pave the way for a comprehensive agreement.
  3. The Ministers noted the importance that negotiations take into account the views of business, industry and other stakeholders, and decided to start consultations on the potential opportunities and impacts of an interim agreement as a pathway to a full CECA.
  4. The Ministers look forward to a balanced trade agreement that encourages expanded trade and investment flows to the benefit of both of our economies and peoples, and that reflects their shared commitment to the rules-based international trading system.

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