Australia aims to step up exports of sheep meat, lamb, avocados, almonds, and pulses to India, taking advantage of the bilateral Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) signed three years ago, a senior trade official said on Monday.
“We are at the implementation stage of ECTA, signed in December 2022, where several agricultural products are being offered as part of market access,” Paul Grimes, chief executive officer, Australian Trade and Investment Commission, told FE. While expanding export of sheep meat is an area of focus, products like avocados and almonds are also being increasingly traded to India following market access, he said.
“Besides seasonal shipments of apples, Australia has been supplying chickpeas or Bengal gram and masoor or lentils to boost India’s domestic supplies,” Grimes stated.
Indian agri-imports
India imports about 18%- 20% of its pulses consumption. It imports chickpeas and lentils mostly from Australia and Canada.
The official noted that 44 food and beverage companies from Australia will participate in the 40th edition of AAHAR, showcasing India’s food and hospitality sectors. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal will inaugurate AAHAR on Tuesday.
Since the signing of ECTA, Australia’s exports to India, excluding coal and gold, have grown at an average annual rate of 16%, Grimes stated. Over the last five years, India’s exports to the world have grown by 40%, while shipments to Australia have increased by 200%, he added.
CECA negotiations with Australia
Currently, India and Australia are negotiating a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), which builds on the ECTA. The ECTA was an early harvest deal that came into force in December 2022. Negotiations between both countries cover a range of areas, including critical minerals, health, critical technology, science and agriculture.
The ECTA covers almost all tariff lines traded between the two countries, granting India preferential market access across 100% of Australian tariff lines. India has extended preferential access to Australia across more than 70% of its tariff lines, according to an official note.
“There has been rapid growth in trading ties between India and Australia, benefiting both countries,” Grimes stated.
India is Australia’s fifth largest trading partner with two-way trade in goods and services valued at $54.4 billion in 2024-25, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia. Australia’s exports to India were valued at $35 billion and imports from India totalled $19.3 billion in FY25.
Australian agricultural, fisheries and forestry product exports to India increased by 88% to $3 billion in FY25, from $1.6 billion in FY23.
India exports agricultural products including cotton, cashew, coffee, dairy products, fruits and tea to Australia. AAHAR, organised by the Commerce Ministry’s arm India Trade Promotion Organisation, will feature around 1,800 participants, including about 150 global firms from 17 countries.