Australia seeks to expand exports to India

(Australian Associated Press)

Australia will pursue agreements with India aimed at expanding export markets when the leaders of both countries soon have a virtual meeting.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison was supposed to visit his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in January but the trip was cancelled due to the bushfires crisis.

Now the coronavirus has halted international travel, the leaders are planning a video meeting, although a date is yet to be set.

Australia has been looking to complete a defence agreement on reciprocal access to bases and cooperation on military technology projects.

A new education partnership is also on the cards, as are Australian plans to export more goods to India, including agricultural products.

"Australia and India are natural partners with deep people-to-people links," a spokesman for Mr Morrison told AAP.

"The prime minister looks forward to holding a virtual summit with Indian Prime Minister Modi in the near future as another step to advance our India economic strategy and cement India in the top tier of Australia's partnerships."

The summit comes amid the government's recent diplomatic upset with China, which has imposed prohibitive tariffs on Australian barley imports.