A 70-member Australian delegation headed by Martin Hamilton-Smith, minister for investment and trade at the South Australian government, will meet with state governments in India negotiating and proposing tie-ups in water conservation, defence, technology in healthcare, premium wine and food as well as art.

The first of such initiatives is likely to be a proposal for a centre of research on water conservation in Maharashtra, said Smith.

The delegation will also visit Rajasthan, Delhi and Bangalore. The team includes representatives from companies such as Add-Life Techonlogies, which provides virtual reality platforms for medical solutions at home, wine producer 1847 Wines Chateau Yaldara, Flight Training Adelaide and Hydro-dis which makes water disinfection techniques among other companies.

Hamilton said that India and Australia do AUD21 billion worth of trade every year. But he also said there are still a lot of trade barriers in terms of taxes, charges, duties.

He added the two countries have been negotiating a free trade agreement for some time, but that talks have plateaued which was sad for businesses on both sides.