India and Australia — bridging the trade and trust barrier

The article discusses the ongoing efforts to deepen trade ties between India and Australia, moving from the 2022 Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) towards a potential Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA). It highlights the significant increase in bilateral trade post-ECTA but points out the asymmetry, with Australian exports dominating. A major sticking point is India's reluctance to open its agricultural market due to livelihood concerns for its farmers, contrasting with Australia's export-oriented industrial agriculture. The article suggests that agricultural trade need not be a zero-sum game, proposing cooperation in biosecurity/phytosanitary standards, precision farming technologies, cold-chain infrastructure, water management, and climate adaptation practices, coupled with Australian investment in India's agricultural sector.