Overview
- Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal announced the change on the pact’s third anniversary, with all Australian tariff lines going to zero for India on January 1, 2026.
- Indian exports to Australia rose 8% in FY2024-25, a pickup officials say helped improve India’s trade balance.
- Gains were cited across manufacturing, chemicals, textiles, plastics, pharmaceuticals and petroleum products, with gems and jewellery up 16% in April–November 2025.
- A Mutual Recognition Arrangement on organic products was signed to streamline certification and reduce compliance costs for exporters.
- Goyal characterized the ECTA as anchoring India’s economic engagement in the Indo-Pacific under Make in India and the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.