Task overview
Task: Create a research report analysing the Australia–India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) currently under negotiation.
Main objective: Evaluate the potential economic outcome of CECA for Australian employment using two or three economic criteria.
Mandatory requirements
Your report must:
- Locate, select and use reliable, current primary and/or secondary sources. Include in-text citations and a reference list.
- Demonstrate comprehension of economic concepts, principles and models relevant to trade agreements (e.g., comparative advantage, trade creation/diversion, specialisation, economies of scale).
- Analyse CECA with focus on two industries (choose industries with strong evidence and clear links to CECA/ECTA outcomes).
- Evaluate CECA using two or three economic criteria of your choice (examples: employment, efficiency, competitiveness, equity, sustainability, economic growth).
- Produce a research-style report showing professional standards of written expression, data presentation (tables/graphs), spelling, grammar and paragraphing.
Context & background
- CECA builds on the earlier Australia–India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA), which entered into force on 29 December 2022.
- ECTA removed or reduced tariffs on a large share of bilateral goods trade; CECA aims for deeper engagement (goods, services, investment, digital trade, government procurement, rules of origin, mobility).
- The Australian Government released A New Roadmap for Australia’s Economic Engagement with India to complement CECA negotiations and align with the India Economic Strategy to 2035.
Use these documents (DFAT, government releases, ECTA outcomes, roadmap) as starting points for sector selection and evidence.
Suggested structure of the report
- Title page
- Full report title, unit, author, student ID, date.
- Executive summary (approx. 150–200 words)
- Key findings and policy-relevant conclusions.
- Table of contents | List of figures/tables
- Introduction
- Purpose of report; brief description of CECA and scope (which two industries; which criteria).
- Methodology & data sources
- Sources used (DFAT, ABS, World Bank, WITS, industry reports, trade data), timeframes, and how data were analysed.
- Context: Trade, ECTA & CECA
- Short description of FTAs and where CECA fits (CECA = comprehensive FTA with broader economic cooperation).
- Comprehension: Economic theory
- Key trade concepts to be used in analysis: comparative advantage, trade creation/diversion, specialisation, economies of scale, terms of trade, welfare effects.
- Economic profiles & compatibility
- Concise comparison of Australia and India (GDP, population, sectoral strengths, growth outlook, demand drivers).
- Industry analyses
- For each industry:
- Current trade patterns (exports/imports, tariffs under ECTA).
- Trends and drivers of demand in India.
- Evidence of opportunity/risk (trade data, case studies — e.g., almonds, critical minerals, education).
- Likely impact of CECA provisions (goods, services, investment, rules of origin).
- Visuals: labelled tables/figures (e.g., export volumes, tariff phase-down schedules).
- For each industry:
- Evaluation: Economic criteria
- Define chosen criteria (e.g., Employment, Competitiveness, Equity).
- Apply the D.E.C.I.D.E. approach:
- Define outcome/objective and measurement indicators.
- Explain each economic criterion and how it will be measured.
- Connect analysis findings to criteria (use evidence).
- Identify stakeholder implications (households, firms, government).
- Make a judgment with supporting evidence.
- Policy implications & recommendations
- For government and industry: mitigation measures, supporting policies (skills, adjustment assistance, standards, certification).
- Conclusion
- Concise statement on likely employment outcome and overall assessment of CECA using selected criteria.
- References
- Full bibliographic list (consistent citation style).
- Appendices
- Data tables, extended evidence, methodology details.
Timeline & staged approach
Follow the staged workflow provided (weeks indicated in the original task). Key steps:
- Stage 1 — Initial research: Understand CECA/FTA basics, ECTA outcomes, and trade theory.
- Stage 2 — Deeper research: Collect sector-specific trade data and evidence (ABS, DFAT, World Bank, WITS). Choose two industries and gather robust supporting evidence.
- Stage 3 — Comprehension: Demonstrate understanding of trade theory and the type of FTA CECA represents.
- Stage 4 — Analysis: Use the T.I.E.D. method (Trend, Interpret, Explain, Data) to analyse industry patterns and bilateral compatibility.
- Stage 4 — Evaluation: Use D.E.C.I.D.E. to structure evaluation across your chosen economic criteria.
- Stage 5 — Drafting: Produce the report with labelled figures/tables, citations, and appendices.
- Submission: Finalise and submit by the deadline; adhere to word limits and formatting rules.
Inquiry questions to guide research
- What is CECA and which type of FTA is it?
- Which economic theories/models will be applied (comparative advantage; trade creation/diversion; specialisation; economies of scale)?
- What are the economic profiles of Australia and India and why is this partnership compatible now?
- Which sectors show the strongest potential under CECA?
- For the two chosen industries: what will CECA change (tariffs, services access, investment, rules of origin) and why does that matter?
- How will CECA affect Australian employment in these industries? Consider direct, indirect, and economy-wide effects.
- Using your selected evaluation criteria, what is your final judgement on CECA’s employment effects?
Analysis templates
T.I.E.D. template for each analytical question
- Trend: Identify and describe the trend.
- Interpretation: What does the trend mean?
- Explain relationships: How do variables link?
- Data: Provide supporting data (table/figure + source).
D.E.C.I.D.E. template for each evaluation criterion
- Define the economic outcome and measurement.
