Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal. File
| Photo Credit: PTI
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 said on Monday (December 29, 2025). The Minister was commenting on the third anniversary of the deal, which came into effect on December 29, 2022.
“From 1 January 2026, 100% of Australian tariff lines will be zero-duty for Indian exports,” Mr Goyal shared on X on Monday (December 29, 2025). “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 was an ‘early harvest’ deal, covering a few of the trade-related issues between the two countries, with both sides currently engaged in negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) that will be broader and deeper in scope.
According to Mr. Goyal, India’s exports to Australia grew by 8% in 2024-25, improving India’s trade balance, with “strong gains” being witnessed across manufacturing, chemicals, textiles, plastics, pharmaceuticals, petroleum products, and gems & jewellery.
“Agri-exports recorded broad-based growth, with sharp increases in fruits & vegetables, marine products, spices, and exceptional growth in coffee,” Mr. Goyal said.
Published – December 29, 2025 06:47 pm IST
