Indian Ocean Ports and the Australia-India Trade Relationship
This paper examines the salience of Indian ports in the trade relationship between Australia and India. The bilateral trade between the two nations has experienced a significant upward trajectory, and India's ports are increasingly becoming critical facilitator of this trade. The paper gives an overview on the role of Indian ports in strengthening Australia-India trade relations and the strategic importance of improving port infrastructure for mutual benefit.
The paper highlights the key factors driving this trade, such as economic complementarities, demand for Australian resources like coal, gas, lithium and cobalt, and India's burgeoning manufacturing and consumer sectors. The proximity of Indian ports to major shipping lanes and their role as transshipment hubs for goods moving between Australia, Asia, and beyond is indicated as a strategic advantage.
Indian ports such as Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata are identified as suffering from low cargo handling capacity and inefficiencies. The study underscores the importance of port modernisation efforts in India, including improvements in infrastructure, logistics, and port connectivity and the role that Australia can play in these endeavours. Such port modernisation efforts are vital for sustaining and indeed expanding the bilateral trade.
The paper further discusses the trade facilitation role of Australia’s Indian diaspora, ports related research, training collaboration, Austrade and WTO. Security being an essential ingredient for peaceful trade and commerce the paper provides an overview of the Indian Ocean (IO) through which the Australia India trade flows. It goes on to assert that Australian and Indian trade is dependent on the IO and that both countries should cooperate in ensuring that IO is safe, secure and stable. The paper concludes with emerging opportunities such as Australia’s imports of India’s agricultural goods and Australia being well placed to cooperate with India for India’s development of Kandla, Paradip and Tuticorin as green hydrogen export hubs.
Introduction
An interconnected world has brought increased economic interdependency among nations and has made the world progressively more trade dependent. The seas afford the fastest, cheapest and safest means for international trade and around eighty percent of the world trade is transported by sea. This trade is entirely reliant on the trading nations’ ports. Ports are the backbone of international trade, functioning as logistical hubs they connect markets and sustain global economies. They directly influence the competitiveness of nations and regional development.
The dominance of maritime transport for trade is determined by countries’ access to oceans. India is a maritime nation. As the eminent Indian statesman K.M. Panikkar wrote in 1945, “…the sea routes available to India from her ports from Kandla to Calcutta [now Kolkata] take her easily to all parts of the world.” India is the only country in the world with an eponymous ocean and India’s maritime trade with its trade partners including Australia must transit the Indian Ocean (IO). The IO is a key strategic and economic theatre for India and is critical for India’s trade and energy.
Australia with its maritime orientation is a major IO state. It has by far the longest coastline and by far the largest area of maritime jurisdiction of any country in the region. It has by far the longest IO coastline of more than 14000 kilometres. Australia also has by far the largest maritime jurisdiction of any IO state - around 5.9 million square kilometres including an exclusive economic zone of 3.88 square kilometres and an extended continental shelf of 2.02 million square kilometres. It relies on the IO for much of its wealth. Most of Australia’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) is extracted from the Northwest Shelf off Western Australia (WA). WA is an important driver of Australia’s economy, and in 2016–17 sales of that state’s mineral and petroleum industry totalled some $105 billion. Around 42 percent of Australia’s goods exports by value (including iron ore, gold, oil, gas, wheat and copper) came from WA. In 2016, Australian iron ore exports (virtually all from WA) amounted to some 808 million tonnes with a value of $53 billion, constituting 41percent of total global production.
Australia was also the world’s largest exporter of alumina and bauxite with a value of $10 billion, mostly from WA. The location of much of Australia’s natural resources on the western side of the continent means that a very high proportion of Australia’s trade crosses the IO. Australia is also highly dependent on the IO for the import of energy, particularly petroleum from refineries in East Asia. Around 83 percent of Australia’s refined petroleum is imported. Being dependent on imports of refined petroleum from the refineries in East Asia, Australia is indirectly dependent on the shipping of crude oil across the northern IO to the East Asian refineries.
Just as for India the sea routes available to Australia from her ports along her vast IO coastline take her easily to all parts of the IO area and beyond. These Major ports in WA include the ports of Bunbury, Kwinana, Fremantle, Geraldton, Dampier and Port Hedland. From these ports Australia transports its minerals, commodities and agricultural products to Indian ports and beyond as well as receives its imports. As a major exporter of resources Australia’s ports facilitate the economic activity that underpins its national prosperity.
Approximately ninety five percent of India’s trade by volume and sixty eight percent by value is moved through maritime transport. Over ninety-nine percent of Australia’s imports and exports by volume and over seventy nine percent by value are dependent on shipping. As a primary driver of Australian economy and workforce, Australia’s ports are vital. Australia's ports see around 31,000 vessels each year and facilitate 1.6 billion tonnes of trade annually. India is Australia’s fifth largest two-way trading partner. The interplay between Indian and Australian ports therefore is critical for their trade relations and Indian ports possess enormous salience for Australia - India trade relations.
Movement of goods through oceans has historically been the cheapest form of transportation and ports are known to have existed since at least 6,000 BC. Their significance traces back to ancient civilizations that relied on waterways for trade. From the Nile Delta in Egypt to the Mediterranean, the success of early empires was influenced by their ports and access to navigable waters. Rome and ancient India are known to have been major trading partners and hundreds of cargo ships touched each other’s ports. As global trade expanded, ports became pivotal centres of economic exchange. Maritimetrade from Bombay, Madras and Calcutta to New South Wales is said to have enriched the trade ties between Australia and India during colonial times. As far back as 1799, Australia exported commodities including coal, whale oil and wool to India. With the opening of the Consulate-General of India in Sydney in 1941, Australia and pre-independence India established their first diplomatic links. The consulate interestingly was called a "trade office".
Australia-India trade
India is one of the fastest growing trade partners of Australia. Australia India trade relations acquired a new impetus following the Covid pandemic. In 2019, bilateral trade was valued at $18.9 billion. It increased dramatically and more than doubled to $39.3 billion in 2022. India’s exports – primarily of chemical products, machinery and pharmaceuticals doubled during the period. In 2023 - 2024, India was Australia’s fifth largest export market as well as and fifth largest two way trading partner with trade totalling $ 50.064 billion. India is Australia’s largest export market for gold and chickpeas, second largest market for coal and copper ores and third largest market for lead and wool. Historically coal, non-monetary gold, copper ore & concentrates, and petroleum accounted for over eighty percent of India’s imports from Australia. All of India’s exports to and imports from Australia originate from and arrive at the ports dotting the peninsular India thus linking them intrinsically to Australia India trade relations.
International trade underpins Australia’s economy and Australia is IO region’s largest exporter of mineral products. Shipping accounts for ninety nine percent of this trade by volume. In 2018-19 over six thousand cargo ships made about 34000 calls to Australian ports that handled 1.7 billion tonnes of freight worth $573 billion. India’s growth is accelerating rapidly which creates opportunities for Australian goods such as agricultural products, minerals and resources. In 2022 both countries cemented the partnership by signing the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA). After entering into force in December 2022, ECTA has deepened the economic ties between the two nations and furthered opportunities for their businesses.
ECTA cut tariffs on sheep, coal, rare earths, lobsters and introduced a phased reduction of tariffs on several items including wine, avocados and almonds. Under ECTA both countries provide duty-free access to several goods and relaxed norms to services. In the first twelve months since ECTA, exports to India (excluding coal) increased thirty five percent in 2023 compared to 2022, with agriculture exports up sixty percent and industrial exports (excluding coal) up thirty percent.
Negotiations are ongoing for the Australia - India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) which will build upon ECTA outcomes. The eleventh round of India-Australia Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) negotiations was held in New Delhi in August 2025, further advancing the shared objective of strengthening bilateral trade and economic partnership. From 1st January 2026, 100 per cent Australian tariff lines became zero-duty for Indian exports, unlocking fresh opportunities for labour-intensive sectors. India's exports to Australia rose eight per cent in 2024-25. Major gains were witnessed across chemicals, textiles, plastics, pharma, petroleum products and gems and jewellery sectors.
June 2020 saw a renewed commitment to developing the bilateral relationship including economic relationship with the elevation of the bilateral Strategic Partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP). In December 2020, India launched a report titled Australia Economic Strategy (AES) which is the only country specific strategy report produced by the Government of India. The document prepared by Anil Wadhwa, former secretary (East) of India’s Ministry of External Affairs reciprocated Australian Government’s report of 2018 titled India Economic Strategy to 2035 (IES), by Peter Varghese, the former head of Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
A follow up Australian publication ‘An Update to the Indian Economic Strategy’ was published in March 2022. Responding to a changing global environment and key economic reforms in India, the Update set out a five-year action plan to build on Australia India bilateral strengths and identify new and emerging opportunities for cooperation. The Australian Government’s earnestness to enhance Australia – India trade and economic engagement is evident by a further publication launched in February 2025 that is titled ‘New Roadmap Australia’s Economic Engagement with India’ that further follows up on IES. The above reports analyse the existing and potential areas of economic collaboration between Australia and India and attest to the importance that the two Governments attach to their trade relations. The ministries’ nomenclature too indicates the Governmental stance of countries. Australia calls its foreign ministry the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Through this nomenclature the Australian government emphatically makes it known that trade is its foreign ministry's major remit.
Australia and India have highly complementary economies, with each country's strengths and needs aligning well with the other's capabilities. Australia's strength in resources and energy coupled with India's growing economy and demand for these resources forms a solid foundation for a strong partnership. India is world's fastest growing major economy and is projected to be the third largest economy in coming years. India is also growing in ways that enhance Australia India economic complementarities. Australia’s coal, gas and gold support India’s industrialisation. The Australia-India Green Steel Partnership supports India’s growing steel demand and promotes innovative technologies for improved efficiency. Australia has the skills and technologies that India needs for its growth.
Reciprocally, India’s export of chemicals and machinery to Australia provides much needed inputs for Australian industry and add diversification and resilience through additional supply chains. India’s abundant human resources give the nation its high manufacturing capacity and Australia has the critical minerals needed by the industries of India. Australia supplies more than half the world’s lithium. India aims to be a global giant in electric vehicles and battery manufacturing. With vision Indian batteries can be made with Australian lithium. Similarly Indian solar panels can be made with Australian silicon. The complexity of mining and critical minerals supply chains are very well understood by Australia and India can capitalise on this attribute. Australia is the world’s second-largest producer of cobalt and the fourth-largest producer of rare earths and has the critical minerals needed to fuel India’s transition to net zero. Policies are needed to bring these complementarities to work which in turn will enhance Australia-India trade and further amplify the salience of Indian ports.
Port infrastructure
Ports are vital and critical link in the global trade. For them to operate efficiently it is essential that they are equipped with cutting edge infrastructure. Efficient infrastructure makes ports more competitive Inadequate port infrastructure and connectivity on the other hand, diminishes their utility and relative importance. Indian ports like Chennai and Kolkata suffer from low cargo handling capacity and inefficiencies and the container terminal at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust in Mumbai is constrained by the availability of sufficient draught. Modern ultra large ships provide economy of scale. MV Ever Alot an ultra large container vessel with 24,000TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units) capacity makes routine port calls at Sri Lanka and Malaysia. Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust India’s largest state-run container terminal however lacks the 17 meter draft needed to enable berthing of the Ever Alot.
The existing port infrastructure in India thus limits the possibility of utilizing the full strength of ultra large vessels such as the Ever Alot. To meet India’s increasing trade requirements, India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and waterways (MOPSW) has accorded high priority to the expansion of India’s port capacity. India has also launched Maritime Amrit Kaal (Golden Era) Vision 2047 which outlines strategic initiatives to enhance port facilities, promote sustainable practices and facilitate international collaboration. Australia possesses expertise in port development, particularly in automation and environmental sustainability.
Australia has been a pioneer in port automation, with Brisbane port emerging in the 1990s as one of the earliest automated ports in the Indo-Pacific region. Port automation leads to enhanced capacity and operational cost savings. Efficient performance encompasses the availability of sufficient draught, quay, and dock facilities and the quality of road and rail connections. Congestion can be reduced through improved port operations and investment in infrastructure, including information technology. Ports’ infrastructure thus is a crucial determinant of ports’ efficiency and upgrading it is essential to maintain their ongoing relevance to international trade. Australia can assist India in its initiatives to enhance port infrastructure and facilities.
Turn Around Time (TAT) denoting the duration required to load or unload ships is an indicator of a port’s efficiency. Lowering the time ships spend at port reduces costs and benefits the environment through reduced CO2 emissions. With Indian ports possessing enormous salience for Australia - India trade relations, Australia can assist in making Indian ports operate with greater efficiency. Australia’s advanced port infrastructure and regulatory framework provide a strong foundation for its role in promoting port development and processes of the Indian ports. Aspects of Australia’s port operations are advanced, and its knowhow would be invaluable to India. Australia’s full implementation of the World Trade Organisation’s Trade Facilitation Agreement has led to more efficient port practices. This has boosted Australia’s trade and logistics efficiency and can benefit Indian ports. Australia’s Maritime Emissions Reduction National Action Plan is a model for reducing carbon footprints in maritime activities and complements India’s endeavour at port sustainability.
Without good order at sea, the ability to trade is compromised, security therefore remains an essential ingredient for peaceful trade. Oceans connect nations and Australia India trade interests overlap in the IO. The IO is a key arena for the movement of oil and goods from around the world. Around eighty percent of the world’s maritime oil and 9.84 billion tons of cargo pass through the IO region annually. In 2020, the IO rim reported $6.17 trillion in total trade. The IO region accounts for around three-quarters of global oil reserves. The importance of a safe and secure IO to Australia India trade relations therefore scarcely needs emphasis.
Within the IO the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and the Persian Gulf constitute India’s primary areas of interests. India possesses an advantageous strategic location in the IO and positions itself as first responder and a net provider of security in the IO region. Its IO approach is encapsulated in ‘SAGAR’ vision of 2015, and its elevated 2025 follow up named ‘MAHASAGAR’. SAGAR is an acronym for Security and Growth for all in the Region and MAHASAGAR is an acronym for Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions. In accordance with SAGAR, India had sought to deepen economic and security cooperation with its maritime neighbours including Australia. MAHASAGAR encompasses trade for development and capacity building for sustainable growth.
With a larger area of maritime jurisdiction than any other IO country Australia is undeniably an IO nation. Australia has extensive offshore interests in the IO with strategically important island territories, vital sea lines of communication, and hugely valuable offshore oil and gas reserves off the northwest coast. Some of these reserves are over 400 nautical miles offshore. Australia’s IO Island territories of the Cocos and Keeling Islands have great strategic value.
As a trading hub and economic highway spanning Africa, the Middle East, South Asia and Southeast Asia, the IO is fundamental to maintaining trade and energy security of Australia. Hon Stephen Smith the former Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, at a talk in Perth observed that the security of the waters of the IO “goes to the heart of Australia’s national interests”. The IO region is essential to Australia’s security and prosperity. Its vast Indian Ocean coastline, an enormous resource-laden EEZ, and crucial exports of iron ore and hydrocarbons from the Northwest of the country – the Indian Ocean is vitally important for Australia. The 2017 Australian Foreign Policy White Paper identified cooperation with India as a key element in Australia’s approach to the Indian Ocean.
The IO is increasingly becoming a much more complex, congested, and contested strategic space. With their trade dependent upon the IO, it is of vital importance that Australia and India cooperate to ensure a safe, secure and stable IO. In recent years, Australia has been increasing its engagement in the Indian Ocean, influenced by the logic of developing truly strategic relations with India and based on the recognition that these waters are central to their economic connectivity.
Trade facilitators
For the salience of Indian ports in Australia India trade relations to endure it is necessary that the trade between the two nations is not merely maintained but that it continues an upward trajectory. Following are suggested as trade facilitators.
Empirical evidence suggests that diaspora communities can enhance trade by building business ties, improving the quality of information flows and reducing the costs of trade and investment. Australia’s 2017 Foreign Policy White Paper outlined, “The Government is committed to working with diaspora communities to promote trade and investment”. According to the 2021 Census, 976,000 Australians reported Indian heritage, including 673,000 Indian-born Australians, representing 2.6% of Australia’s population. It is Australia’s fastest growing large diaspora community. Indians are now the largest foreign-born population group apart from those with the British ancestry. Indian migration is said to have strengthened bilateral trade. According to DFAT a one per cent increase in migrants is estimated to boost exports by 0.46 per cent and imports by 0.16 per cent.
The Indian community is unusual because it is the first mass diaspora from Asia that has been built around skilled migration. The diaspora is educated, entrepreneurial and engaged. This community makes important contributions to the Australian society and is active in several aspects of Australian life including business, politics, judiciary and government. The Indian diaspora constitutes the people who know both India and Australia and can create opportunities that enrich both nations. It has the connections, language skills and know-how relevant to understanding India's complex markets and influencing Australia's perception within them.
The Indian diaspora with its strong professional qualifications can potentially be brought to bear on Australia’s trade and investment relationship with India. Published in 2022, ‘Australia's India Diaspora: A National Asset’ illustrates the reach of Indian Australians into the Australia-India economic relationship. Their connections into India, their skills including language skills and their insights help Australia to seize the opportunities presented by India’s economic rise.
The Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) is mandated to deliver trade and investment services to businesses and government programs to support trade. One Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner and five Trade and Investment Commissioners are based in India. Austrade has six offices in India one each in Bengaluru, Chennai, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Kolkata. Trade and Investment Commissioners provide Australian businesses with expert advice, contacts, grants and in - market and in - language support to sell their goods and services overseas and connect foreign investors to opportunities in Australia.
The World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) reduces trade red tape and makes it easier for businesses to enter overseas markets. It entered into force on 22 February 2017, following acceptance by over two-thirds of WTO Members. According to WTO estimates, in the first 2 years of its implementation (2017-2019), the TFA led to a US$231 billion increase in trade. One of the most tangible areas of Australia India cooperation is their shared success in achieving 100% implementation of the TFA. This reflects both nations’ commitment to streamlining port processes, reducing trade barriers and enhancing the efficiency of cross-border trade. Together, these efforts make the partnership a win-win scenario for both countries. It will also further amplify the salience of Indian ports in the countries’ trade relations. The fact that English is widely spoken in India and that Australian and Indian institutions are both derived from British models are other factors that coalesce in facilitating Australia - India trade relations.
Both Australia and India contribute to trade facilitation through the support of maritime educational institutions. The Launceston campus of the Australian Maritime College Tasmania (AMC Tasmania) is a multi-disciplinary training institution which among other subjects conducts a course on ports’ operations and global logistics, and offers a diverse range of solutions including in port development. Other aspects covered are commercial functions of ports, port governance, the role of ports in global supply chains and port development.
The Indian Maritime University (IMU) functions under India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and waterways and is the national institution for maritime education, commercial shipping, marine engineering, and maritime administration. The School of Maritime Management of Indian Maritime University offers an MBA program in Port & Shipping Management which gives students understanding of the complex and dynamic world of port and shipping management and covers subjects that include port operations, maritime economics and logistics management. There is vast scope for the AMC Tasmania and the IMU to collaborate and capitalise on each other’s strengths.
The Centre for Australia-India Relations is another platform established by the Australian Government in 2023 to support and facilitate greater collaboration and engagement with India. The Centre works across all levels of government, industry, academia and civil society to build greater understanding of the Australia - India relationship and the opportunities flowing from the burgeoning connections. The Centre is expected to be a facilitator for Australia India trade and thereby further enhancing the salience of Indian ports.
Australia could learn from the European Union (EU) on how to further facilitate engagement with India. The EU and India are important trade partners and their total bilateral trade in goods and services reached €184 billion in 2023. The EU-India Trade and Technology Council (TTC) was launched in February 2023. It is a key forum to deepen trade and technology between the two partners and aims to increase EU-India bilateral cooperation, boost bilateral trade and investment and to capitalise on both parties' strengths to ensure their technological and industrial leadership. The TTC provides a structured, forum for coordination in trade, technology and security domains. By aligning trade and technology cooperation, the EU and India reinforce an open, rules-based order while hedging against overdependence on any single partner. There is a strong case for Australia and India to establish a similar mechanism to explore new avenues to enhance bilateral cooperation, boost bilateral trade and investment and capitalise on both parties' strengths. Such an outcome is likely to further enhance the salience of Indian ports in Australia – India trade relations.
Emerging trends and opportunities
Australia India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) eliminated tariffs on most of the critical minerals needed for solar panels, electric cars, wind turbines and mobiles boosting two-way trade and investment. Ninety-six per cent of Indian goods now enter Australia duty free, and eighty-five per cent of Australian goods now enter India without tariffs. Australian imports of India’s agricultural goods have increased by sixteen percent, and imports of Indian apparel have increased by nine percent. In a significant milestone for India’s agricultural exports, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) completed India’s first-ever via sea shipment of premium pomegranates to Australia in January 2025. The shipment received an overwhelmingly positive response at its destination ports and there are requests for additional shipments. This showcases the growing potential for a win-win trade relationship in agricultural commodities between Australia and India.
India is at present the fifth-largest source of tourism for Australian. In the twelve months ending May 2025, 453,000 Indian tourists visited Australia – a ten percent year - over - year increase. The cruise tourism sector of India is simultaneously burgeoning. By 2029, the Government of India aims to bring cruise passenger traffic in India to 1 million, up from 471,000 in the 2024. Tourism Australia’s primary mandate is to influence people to travel to Australia. There is scope for Tourism Australia to coordinate with its Indian counterpart to incentivise Indian tourists to come to Australia on board cruise ships. Indian ports will be crucial in bringing such an effort to realisation.
Hydrogen is expected to play a key role in the net zero transformation. In May 2023, India and Australia reiterated a shared ambition on green hydrogen with the exchange of the agreed Terms of Reference for the India-Australia Green Hydrogen Taskforce. The Taskforce will comprise Australian and Indian experts in green hydrogen and will report to the India - Australia Ministerial Energy Dialogue on trade and commercial research opportunities. India has set a target to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2070. Developing net zero industries requires investment in infrastructure including port infrastructure. India’s ministry of shipping is developing facilities near the ports of Kandla, Paradip and Tuticorin for green hydrogen. With developed hydrogen related infrastructure in the ports of Newcastle, Port Kembla, Geelong, Gladstone and Port Hedland, Australia is well placed to cooperate with India for India’s development of Kandla, Paradip and Tuticorin as green hydrogen export hubs.
Security of trade routes and supporting unimpeded flow of trade is an important function of the national navies. Naval strategist, historian, and theorist Alfred Thayer Mahan went on to suggest: “The necessity of a navy, in the restricted sense of the word, springs, therefore, from the existence of a peaceful shipping, and disappears with it”. In a globalised world imports and exports constitute a much larger share of the Australian and Indian economies. As seen in the case of the Houthi militia’s assaults on commercial shipping through Bab al-Mandab Strait threats to maritime commerce persist in the twenty first century. As a result, safeguarding their trade routes must remain a high priority for nations.
Australia, due to its geography is especially dependent on secure and reliable maritime trade. Protection of maritime trade being a crucial function of the navies, through access to each other's ports the Royal Australian Navy and the Indian Navy will be better placed to conduct this function. Australia and India concluded the Reciprocal Mutual Logistic Support Arrangement (RMLSA) in 2020. Under the agreement the militaries of Australia and India will have access to each other's ports and infrastructure. By enabling the safety of trade routes, the RMLSA enhances the salience of the Indian ports in Australia India trade relations.
Conclusion
The salience of Indian ports in Australia India trade relations is indisputable as elicited in the preceding paragraphs. The complementarities between their economies, should pave the way for a stronger and more resilient trade partnership. As the trade volumes between both countries grow, the strategic importance of Indian ports in facilitating the smooth movement of goods gains increasingly greater significance. With ongoing investments in infrastructure, enhanced shipping routes, and evolving trade agreements, Indian ports are set to play an even more significant role in the future of Australia India trade relations.
In consideration of Indian ports’ criticality to Australia India trade relations and challenges facing Indian ports, there are vast opportunities for growth and cooperation between the two nations. By assisting India in improving its port infrastructure, efficiency and productivity, and simplifying trade facilitation procedures, Australia ensures that Indian ports will continue to serve as a vital link in Australia India trade relations. As the bilateral trade relationship between Australia and India grows, the importance of Indian ports will only continue to enhance.
Rajesh Mittal is a master mariner and has worked in Australia as a marine consultant and a flag state surveyor of a leading flag state for twenty years. He has sailed on board bulk carriers trading worldwide for eleven years and is a former Indian Naval officer. He is a graduate of India’s National Defence Academy and a post-graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, South India.
