New Delhi: An Australian parliamentary committee in a report raised concerns over child labour in India as the both countries are mulling over expanding a mini trade deal signed in 2022 into a more comprehensive pact, The Indian Express reported.
The India-Australia trade deal, the report said, is at odds with Canberra’s policy priorities as it could ‘lead to increase in goods imports with lower environmental and labour standards’, according to the outlet.
Australia’s centre-right government led by former Australian PM Scott Morrison signed the mini trade deal called The Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) with India.
The deal sought to eliminate duties on 96 per cent of value of Indian exports from many labour-intensive sectors.
Meanwhile, compared to the previous financial year, India’s total exports to Australia touched 15 per cent higher to close to $8 billion in FY24.
Australia under its new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, the leader of the country’s centre-left Labor Party, is in negotiations with India for a comprehensive trade deal.
However, the parliamentary report tabled in April said the trade agreement does not recognize international labour rights.
It obviously urges the Australian government not to enter into trade agreements with the countries violating international labour rights and it calls for deals to include a labour chapter in line with commitments made to International Labour Organization (ILO) core convention.
“India has a well-documented presence of child and (forced) labour, making significant contributions to the population of the world in modern slavery” the report said referring to Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (A-IECTA).
The report further pointed out that some agreements in the deal are in conflicts with Australia’s policy regarding lower labour, manufacturing and reduced environmental standards.
Meanwhile, trade economists called the incorporation of international labour standards in trade pacts as part of a protectionist measure being raised in the guise of humanitarian concerns, according to The Indian Express.
As per the 2011 census, nearly 1.01 crore children between the ages of five and fourteen work in the country.
An Indian parliamentary standing committee report said over half of India’s child labour takes place in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.