Australia and India are set to ink an interim free trade deal in the next three weeks, which has been considered an important move in deepening trade relations and furthering Australia’s push for diversification. The agreement precedes a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) which is expected in 12-18 months and aims at boosting opportunities in both countries in various areas including education, agriculture, energy, tourism, infrastructure, mining, health, gems and jewellery, defence and textiles. It comes after multiple rounds of negotiations between Australia and India over the last 11 years, with former prime minister Tony Abbott called in last year to aid the stalled negotiations. The interim or early harvest trade agreement seeks to liberalise tariffs on the trade of certain goods or trading blocs between the two nations before the CECA is finalised. The move is considered a milestone in the Australia-India trade relations as two-way goods and services …
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