India and Australia plan to resume negotiations to renew the Comprehensive Economic Cooperative Agreement (CECA). As per Apparel Resources, the agreement will boost India’s apparel exports to Australia by $500 million. Besides having preferential agreements with China and Vietnam, Australia also gives GSP benefits to Bangladesh, resulting in a 5 per cent duty advantage for these countries vis-à-vis India.

In fiscal 2021, India’s exports to Australia had been priced at $4.04 billion, while imports were priced at 8.24 billion. Australia imports around $6.6 billion worth of apparels from across the globe. However, India’s share in these imports is just 1.2 per cent. The resumption of trade talks is likely to boost these figures. .

Last month, EU and India had agreed to restart the free trade agreement to strengthen the economic cooperation especially amidst the fast growing influence of China. On India’s production-linked incentive scheme geared towards strengthening manufacturing within the nation, Tim White, Commerce and Funding Commissioner, Australia, said the deal might boost India’s infrastructure sector.