Taking steps to deepen ties with India, says Oz minister

Melbourne, June 22

Describing India as a "complex market" but a "very fast moving economy", Australian trade minister Simon Birmingham has said the government is progressively implementing the recommendations of a report to further deepen its trade and investment relations with New Delhi.

India is Australia's eighth-largest trading partner and fifth-largest export market, with two-way goods and services trade valued at 30.3 billion Australian dollars in 2018-19.

In a recent interview to a television news channel, Birmingham said, "India is a complex market". However, it is a "very fast moving economy" with "lots of different pieces with lots of different states".

"And that's why we commissioned an India Economic Strategy that has many recommendations to it, and we're getting on and we're progressively implementing those recommendations so that we can deepen our ties in areas like education, build new opportunities in areas such as agriculture," he said.

Birmingham said the government is also pursuing to strenghten its trade ties with India in the resources sector.

"Pursue — especially in the resources sector — not just the sale of critical minerals and rare earths to India but also, increasingly, mining and engineering services going into India using Australian skills and Australian knowhow as part of the business operation there with India," he said. — PTI