Australia expected to sign FTA with India before end of 2015: Trade Minister

Australia is expected to secure a vital free trade agreement with India before the end of the year, according to Trade Minister Andrew Robb.

Robb arrived back in Australia from his fifth visit to the Asian nation in 12 months on Friday, and said there were a number of finer details to iron out, but talks with Indian government representatives were encouraging.

He told the Australian Associated Press (AAP) late on Thursday night that Australia was keen to sign a deal before 2016.

"There's still a lot of work to be done," Robb said before boarding his flight back to Australia.

"But we've got a timetable which, all things being equal, can lead us to a conclusion by the end of the year."

A potential FTA with India would focus more on the services sector, compared to the recently-signed free trade deal with China which focuses on goods and the removal of import and export tariffs.

"(The proposed deal with India) has a reasonable goods package, but they are still very much a developing country," Robb said.

The Trade Minister said there was a demand for Australian financial, legal, educational and engineering services, while India was also in the hunt to secure Australian-led infrastructure projects, namely for the redevelopment of up to 450 railway stations.

Meanwhile, Robb told Indian officials that Australian uranium could be making its way to Indian nuclear power plants within months, something which forms a part of nuclear cooperation agreement which could be worth up to 1.25 billion U.S dollars and could double the industry's work force.

Robb said if the FTA was agreed upon before the end of the year, it could come into force in late 2016. Endit