Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, March 4: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will embark on a state visit to India from March 8-11, The visit is to lock India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) deal while also upgrading the biletaral relationship.
“At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, will pay a State Visit to India on 08-11 March 2023. He will be accompanied by Senator Don Farrell, Minister for Trade and Tourism, and Madeleine King, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, along with senior officials and a high-level business delegation,” read a press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
As prime minister, Albanese will be travelling to India for the first time. On March 8, 2023, the day of Holi, he will arrive in Ahmedabad. On March 9, he will visit Mumbai before continuing on to Delhi. Moreover, Albanese will speak with President Droupadi Murmu.
Warm and cordial ties between Australia and India are built on democratic ideals and shared values. In June 2020, the strategic collaboration between the two nations was upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which has since been strengthened and developed through regular high-level meetings and improved sectoral cooperation.
According to the statement, Prime Minister Albanese’s visit is anticipated to give the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership even more traction. The two sides will hold talks on a range of topics, including sustainable energy, technology, digital trade, and procurements.
On December 29, 2022, the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) between India and Australia went into effect. From the day the agreement is put into effect, Australia must provide zero-duty access to India for around 96.4% of exports (by value).
All of the labor-intensive export industries of interest to India, such as gems and jewellery, textiles, leather, footwear, furniture, food, and agricultural products, engineering products, medical devices, and autos, will benefit from Australia’s 100% preferential market access policy.
