The SAIELN is pleased to be a Leading Partner in the 2021 Australia – India Free Trade Agreement Conference. The Australian and Indian governments have explored creating a preferential economic relationship for more than ten years (see here). Little progress has been made in that time, though it appears the negotiations have finally been relaunched. This conference is intended to help develop some of the issues likely to arise if negotiations of such a treaty were to progress. We also would hope that by holding such an event, highlighting the issues, challenges and, critically, opportunities we can encourage the negotiations to move forward towards completion.
The conference has been developed in a short time and organically – it is likely to be raw and unvarnished, all the better to lay out honestly and succinctly the concerns and insights of those of us in the field with close connections to Australia or India. The conference intends to put discussion as the priority, and hence, other than the few keynotes, all presentations are being recorded and provided in advance so the panels can immediately proceed to discussions, with the assumption that the audience and co-panellists would have already watched the recordings. Conference registrants will be provided access in advance to those recorded presentations and will be able to ask questions of panellists via text/chat functions provided.
The Australia-India Free Trade Agreement Conference is organised by Transnational Law and Policy Centre, University of Wollongong, Australia, Centre for India Australia Studies, Jindal Global University, India, Centre for Trade and Investment Law, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, India, Asia Pacific Research Centre, University of Newcastle, Australia and South Asia International Economic Law Network, New Delhi. This conference will bring together policy makers, academics, and other stakeholders from Australia, India and beyond to explore the development of the Australia-India Free Trade Agreement. Panels and keynotes will discuss and deliberate on a range of trade negotiation issues: services, migration, climate, gender, digital trade, financial services, electronic commerce, IP education, investment and dispute settlement.
Agenda/Programme Schedule
Colin Picker, University of Wollongong & James Nedumpara, India Institute of Foreign Trade/O.P. Jindal Global University
Moderator: Lisa Toohey, University of Newcastle
– Ambassador V S Seshadri, Former Ambassador of India to Myanmar,
Boosting Australia-India Economic Relations
– Nikhil Damodaran, O. P. Jindal Global University,
Australia/India Trade via Basic Trade Theory
– Heng Wang, University of New South Wales,
The Breadth, Depth and Strength of an Australia-India Trade Agreement
– Sumanta Chaudhuri, India Gov't, ret.
Structure and Negotiating Issues for Services
– BREAK
Moderator: Ram Upendra Das, CRT, Dept. Com., India
– Bradly Condon, Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo De México,
Climate Change Considerations for Australia-India RTA
– Amrita Bahri, Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo De México, Gender Mainstreaming Strategy for the Negotiations
– Pallavi Kishore, O.P. Jindal Global University,
A Critical Analysis of the Interaction between Trade and Gender Issues
– James Nedumpara, India Institute of Foreign Trade/O.P. Jindal Global University & Markus Wagner, University of Wollongong,
A Future Agriculture Chapter in a Future AUS– India Trade Agreement
– BREAK
Moderator: Tania Voon, University of Melbourne
– Luke Nottage, University of Sydney
Mandatory Investor-State Conciliation Before Arbitration in Asia-Pacific Treaties: New Developments and Implications for India and Australia
– Prabhash Ranjan, O.P.Jindal Global University
Comparing the Indian and Australian Approaches on Investment Protection
– Rajesh Sharma, RMIT University
Possible Dispute Resolution Mechanism in Australia-India FTA
– Elizabeth Sheargold, University of Wollongong
Exceptions/Other Protections for Regulatory Autonomy in Investment Law
– BREAK
– Ambassador J. S. Deepak, Former Ambassador of India to the WTO
Keynote Address
– Ambassador Amit Dasgupta, University of New South Wales, Former Consul- General in Sydney
Keynote Address
– BREAK
– Peter Varghese, Chancellor, University of Queensland, Former Secretary (DFAT), Former Australian High Commissioner to India
Keynote Address: The future of the Australia India Economic Relationship
– BREAK
Moderator: Bryan Mercurio, Chinese University of Hong Kong
– Yogesh Pai, National Law University, Delhi
India's Pharma/Biotech IP Ecosystem: Lessons for Australia-India FTA Negotiations and Beyond
–Simon Lacey, University of Adelaide
Digital Infrastructure
– Andrew Mitchell, Monash University /Neha Mishra, Australian National University
Electronic Commerce
– BREAK
Moderator: Dr. Sharmila Mary Joseph, Secretary (Taxes), Government of Kerala
– Leila Choukroune, University of Portsmouth
Migration and HR
– Andrew Lang, University of Edinburgh
Regulatory Cooperation
– RV Anuradha, Clarus Law Associates, New Delhi
Services
- Colin Picker, University of Wollongong /Weihuan Zhou, University of New South Wales
Tertiary Education Service
Pre-Recorded Sessions
LEADING PARTNERS
