Two Indian Fellows on the National Parliamentary Fellowships Program (NPFP) will present their research findings in a seminar to be followed by a morning tea. The NPFP brings two top Indian scholars with a strong interest in Australia and Australia-India relations to ANU in association with PRS Legislative Research, New Delhi. The NPFP aims to identify and foster the development of a new generation of leaders, promoting investment in Australia-India relations. The NPFP program also sends talented Australian postgraduate students or recent graduates to India, Japan and China to interact with parliaments in those countries.

Seminar Schedule

09.30am Presentation by Bhavya Gupta

Indian aid to Pacific Island Countries: Patterns and avenues for trilateral cooperation
Summary: In recent years, India has been expanding its aid and outreach program to the Pacific islands under the umbrella of the newly-launched Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) summit in 2014 with fourteen Pacific island countries. The presentation focuses on India’s existing aid and development projects in the Pacific, and also explores the reasons which warrant, or justify, an enhanced role for India in the Pacific. Lastly, it makes a case for trilateral cooperation in undertaking development projects in the region with third countries like Australia, or with multilateral institutions.

10.00am Presentation by Radhika Agarwal

Strengthening Trade Relations between India and Australia: Is the Comprehensive Economic Co-operation Agreement the way forward? Summary: India is known to be Australia’s fifth largest market for exports, and among the top ten trading partners. However, due to the presence of trade barriers between the two countries, bilateral trade between India and Australia has not been able to develop to its full potential. In an attempt to strengthen trade relations, both countries in 2011 considered entering into a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA). There has, however, been much delay in concluding the agreement due to differences between the countries in eliminating tariff barriers. The countries are also currently negotiating the multilateral agreement-Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP). The presentation looks at:
• Whether CECA will strengthen trade relations between the countries. What will the CECA add beyond RCEP?
• Whether the objectives of CECA can be achieved through RCEP, thereby leading to the successful conclusion of the CECA

10.30am Q&A

11.00am Closing and light refreshment

Registration is essential for catering purposes.