Aus minister slams Indian bureaucracy for impasse

February 24, 2016 15:43

Australia's new trade minister has criticised India's "strong" bureaucracy for posing hurdles for a favourable business environment, saying sometimes one has to "roll up sleeves and apply a little elbow grease" to make things happen.

"India is a country that has a huge amount of potential and a huge amount of opportunity, but there is a fairly strong amount of bureaucracy. Sometimes it requires you to roll up your sleeves and apply a little elbow grease," said Steven Ciobo early last week.

Ciobo, 41, who recently succeeded former minister Andrew Robb, said Australian government was committed towards a free trade agreement with India and free trade with will continue to remain its area of focus.

"There are a number of different pokers in the fire. We are looking at, of course, ongoing negotiations around a free trade agreement with India, that continues to be an area of focus," Ciobo told CNBC in New York where he is attending a business week to promote Australia as an investment destination.

Ciobo, who will be now be taking over ongoing negotiations over a free trade agreement with India, had said last week before his swearing in ceremony that the free trade deal with India would be hard to close on.

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

Faf Defies The Law Of Physics!

Stationed at mid off, Du Plessis 'flew' with his right hand stretched out to pluck it out of the air. The 39 year old timed his jump to perfection as he was 2.3 metres off the ground when he grabbed the ball.

Phase 5: Rae Bareli, Amethi go to polls on Monday

Besides Defence Minister Singh (Lucknow), Minister of Women and Child Development Irani (Amethi), those in the fray are Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishor (Mohanlalganj) and Minister of State of Consumer...

Arrest warrant issued against Prajwal Revanna

The court issued the warrant in connection with the sexual assault case registered against Prajwal on Saturday in which his father and Holenarasipura MLA H D Revanna is also an accused.

Chithambaram takes sole lead in Sharjah Masters chess

At the end of the fifth round India's Aravindh Chithambaram is now followed by four players -- the Iranian duo of Amin Tabatabaei and Bardiya Daneshvar and Americans Hans Moke Niemann and Sam Shankland -- who all have four points each.

Litchi Heats Up Election Season In Muzaffarpur

'The local support from our MP is nil. He never comes to see our farms.'