Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne and Defence Minister Peter Dutton will shortly travel to India for discussions with their counterparts, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar views this as a positive sign that Australia is keen to secure a free-trade agreement (FTA) with his nation, and he is optimistic that a deal will proceed.
Negotiations for a FTA have stalled for some years, but Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has signalled the importance of India as a trading partner as exporters seek to reduce their reliance on China.
