Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Dec 31: Australia will provide duty-free access to all Indian exports from January 1, 2026, under the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) between the two countries, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal announced on Monday, marking the third anniversary of the deal.

“From 1 January 2026, 100% of Australian tariff lines will be zero-duty for Indian exports,” Goyal tweeted. He added that over the past three years, the agreement has delivered sustained export growth, deeper market access, and stronger supply-chain resilience, benefiting Indian exporters, MSMEs, farmers, and workers alike.

The ECTA, an ‘early harvest’ trade deal, covers select trade-related areas while India and Australia are in ongoing negotiations for a broader Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA).

Goyal noted that India’s exports to Australia grew by 8% in 2024-25, improving the trade balance, with strong gains across manufacturing, chemicals, textiles, plastics, pharmaceuticals, petroleum products, and gems & jewellery.

Agri-exports also recorded broad-based growth, with sharp increases in fruits, vegetables, marine products, spices, and exceptional growth in coffee, he added.