Chief Negotiator and First Assistant Secretary in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ravi Kewalram led the Australian team, while Chief Negotiator and Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce Rajesh Agrawal led the Indian mission.
The commerce ministry announced on Sunday that senior representatives from Australia and India are scheduled to meet here in November to discuss a comprehensive free trade deal.
The two nations put into effect a temporary trade deal in December 2022, and talks to broaden its terms are currently underway. It stated that the ninth round of talks for the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) between Australia and India took place in Sydney from August 19–22, focusing on products, services, and digital
It stated in a statement that "November is probably when the next round of CECA negotiations will take place. Chief Negotiator and First Assistant Secretary in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ravi Kewalram led the Australian team, while Chief Negotiator and Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce Rajesh Agrawal led the Indian mission.
During the meeting, there were lengthy talks and bargaining to reduce the disparities by better understanding one another's ideas and how to bring about convergence.
Both parties made efforts to find a fair resolution while taking into account domestic sensitivities, according to the government. The ministry added that the Australian side suggested that the India-Australia Agri Tech Forum (IAATF), a recently established forum by Australia, hold its inaugural meeting on September 23 in New Delhi, with the participation of Indian agricultural stakeholders, including the government, industry, and research institutes.
By investigating prospects for targeted activity around technology transfer and information sharing in the agriculture and horticulture industries, the meeting seeks to strengthen already advantageous relationships.
In the Oceania area, Australia is a significant trading partner of India, with merchandise trade between the two countries expected to reach $24 billion in 2023–2024. In the previous fiscal year, Australia received $16.15 billion in imports and $7.94 billion in exports from India. Since 2021–2022, the amount of commerce between the two nations has generally remained around $25 billion.