India, Australia to intensify talks on Free Trade Agreement over next two months
The Hindu
Substantial round of discussions will take place during visit of Australian Minister of Trade soon
India and Australia are likely to intensify discussion for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) over the next two months. Informed sources said here a substantial round of discussion will take place during the visit of Dan Tehan, Australian Minister of Trade, Tourism and Investment, likely to take place during the last week of September or early October.
The FTA — Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) — was taken up during the “2+2” discussion between Foreign and Defence Ministers last week. Foreign Minister Marise Payne had said here India and Australia were working towards “early harvest” of the trade deal.
Both sides are reportedly working on a December 2021 time-frame on making significant progress on the deal.
Hampi, the UNESCO-recognised historical site, was the capital of the Vijayanagara empire from 1336 to 1565. Foreign travellers from Persia, Europe and other parts of the world have chronicled the wealth of the place and the unique cultural mores of this kingdom built on the banks of the Tungabhadra river. There are fine descriptions to be found of its temples, farms, markets and trading links, remnants of which one can see in the ruins now. The Literature, architecture of this era continue inspire awe.
Unfurling the zine handed to us at the start of the walk, we use brightly-coloured markers to draw squiggly cables across the page, starting from a sepia-toned vintage photograph of the telegraph office. Iz, who goes by the pronouns they/them, explains, “This building is still standing, though it shut down in 2013,” they say, pointing out that telegraphy, which started in Bengaluru in 1854, was an instrument of colonial power and control. “The British colonised lands via telegraph cables, something known as the All Red Line.”
The festival in Bengaluru is happening at various locations, including ATREE in Jakkur, Bangalore Creative Circus in Yeshwantpur, Courtyard Koota in Kengeri, and Medai the Stage in Koramangala. The festival will also take place in various cities across Karnataka including Tumakuru, Ramanagara, Mandya, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Hassan, Chitradurga, Davangere, Chamarajanagar and Mysuru.