India and Australia are trying to ink an early harvest or interim free trade agreement within the next 30 days.
“We are close to clinching a limited trade pact… the negotiations should be complete within 30 days,” commerce minister Piyush Goyal told a joint news briefing with Australian trade minister Dan Tehan.
Goyal said the deal would cover a wide range of sectors and open up opportunities for manufacturing, education and jobs in both countries.
“Quad has added to the strength of the relationship of India and Australia,” Tehan said, noting that Canberra had already signed trade pacts with the United States and Japan.
Regarding fears among domestic industry and farmers about a bilateral trade pact with Australia, Goyal said both sides have been fair and have understood the “sensitivities of each other” and the deal would be a “win-win”.
Australia wants a phased reduction in tariffs for its wines, while India is seeking greater market access for its textiles, footwear, leather, and pharmaceuticals and easier entry for its professionals, industry officials said.
“We understand India’s sensitivity towards dairy and some other sectors,” Tehan said.