11th round of India-Australia CECA Negotiations Concludes in New Delhi

By: Team India Tracker

Australia and India began negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) in May 2011.

The 11th Round of negotiations on the India-Australia Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (Ind-Aus CECA) took place in New Delhi from 18–23 August 2025, marking another step forward in deepening bilateral trade and economic ties.

Building on the progress of previous rounds and intersessional discussions, talks addressed a wide spectrum of areas such as Goods, Services and Mobility, Digital Trade, Rules of Origin, Legal and Institutional Provisions, as well as Environment, Labour, and Gender. These discussions contributed to a clearer understanding and further convergence on the remaining issues.

Both countries reiterated their commitment to advancing CECA in a manner that ensures meaningful benefits, new economic opportunities, and a balanced outcome for both sides. To sustain progress and move towards convergence, negotiations will continue through virtual intersessions. With a shared vision and mutual resolve to craft a future-ready framework, India and Australia remain closely aligned in their efforts to conclude the CECA at the earliest. For India, which is steadily expanding its network of trade agreements, this round highlights its strong commitment to strengthening economic partnerships that align with national priorities and global aspirations.

Australia and India began negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) in May 2011. However, the talks were put on hold in 2016 while both sides awaited the outcomes of other regional plurilateral agreements. Negotiations were formally revived in September 2021, with the two countries agreeing to first conclude an Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) as an interim step to quickly liberalise and expand bilateral trade in goods and services. This agreement was intended to serve as a foundation for resuming discussions on the broader and more ambitious CECA. The ECTA was signed on 2 April 2022 and came into effect on 29 December 2022.

Source: Ministry of Commerce

India and Australia elevated their bilateral ties from a Strategic Partnership in 2009 to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) in 2020. In recent years, their economic engagement has expanded considerably. Australia’s India Economic Strategy to 2035 was released in July 2018, followed by an Update in April 2022. Additionally, Commerce and Industry Minister Shri Piyush Goyal launched the CII Australia Economic Strategy Report in December 2020.

In 2024, Australia’s exports to India reached $35.5 billion, while imports from India stood at $17.5 billion. By the end of the same year, Australia’s investment stock in India amounted to $27.6 billion, whereas Indian investments in Australia totaled $50.6 billion. During the calendar year 2024, India ranked as Australia’s fifth-largest export destination and fifth-largest trading partner, with two-way trade valued at $53 billion. For comparison, in 2022–23, Australia’s exports to India were $32.4 billion and imports were $12.6 billion. At the end of 2022, Australian investments in India stood at $17.6 billion, while Indian investments in Australia were $34.5 billion.

The India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (IndAUS ECTA) was signed on 2 April 2022 by Shri Piyush Goyal and then Australian Trade and Tourism Minister Dan Tehan in a virtual ceremony attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Prime Minister Scott Morrison. The agreement entered into force on 29 December 2022. Alongside ECTA, legislation on the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) was also passed in the Australian Parliament, taking effect simultaneously. This ensured that Indian IT companies would no longer face double taxation starting from the financial year 2023–24.