India, Australia Push Towards Comprehensive Trade Pact With Conclusion Of Another Round Of Talks In New Delhi

India and Australia have taken another step towards sealing a long-awaited free trade agreement, with both sides wrapping up the eleventh round of Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) negotiations in New Delhi between 18 and 23 August.

The discussions, which come nearly three years after the two nations implemented an interim trade pact in December 2022, sought to expand the deal into a full-fledged framework covering a wider economic spectrum.

According to the official statement by the Commerce Ministry, the latest round “further [advanced] the shared objective of strengthening bilateral trade and economic partnership.”

Officials said negotiations touched upon a broad range of subjects, including goods, services and mobility, digital trade, rules of origin, legal and institutional provisions, as well as commitments on environment, labour, and gender.

To sustain momentum, both countries have agreed to continue discussions through virtual inter-sessional meetings before reconvening in person later this year.

Canberra, for its part, has rolled out an ambitious roadmap to scale up trade and investment flows with India, identifying the partnership as central to its Indo-Pacific economic strategy.

New Delhi too sees the CECA as a critical instrument to diversify supply chains, attract investment, and expand market access for its services and manufacturing sectors.

Looking ahead, the Ministry underlined that “with shared ambition and mutual understanding to work towards a future-ready framework, India and Australia remain strongly aligned to the early conclusion of a mutually beneficial Comprehensive Economic Cooperation.”

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