Tndia’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said New Delhi is in “deep negotiations” with Australia to create one million homes, describing it as a $500 billion opportunity, according to a report by The Hindustan Times citing PTI.
Speaking at a weekend event organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry, Goyal said the project would involve Indian workers being trained in Australia to build homes to local standards. He did not provide details on the location of the proposed housing or the financial commitments from Canberra.
According to the report, Goyal also told a visiting delegation from the United Arab Emirates, led by Trade Minister Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, that India was seeking a partnership with the Gulf nation to help fund the project.
High housing costs and shortages have become a central issue in Australia. The mismatch between demand and supply has been widely blamed for pushing up prices, a debate that also shaped the recent federal election.
Goyal said India needed to act on emerging opportunities in global trade and investment, pointing to growing interest in collaborations with New Delhi. “It’s for us to grasp these openings. If we miss out, we will have only ourselves to blame,” he was quoted as saying.
The Hindustan Times report noted that India and Australia are also progressing on a free trade agreement, even as New Delhi faces new challenges in the United States market. Washington recently imposed 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, prompting India to look for alternative markets. Goyal was quoted as saying exports would still exceed $825 billion in FY25 despite these hurdles.
He outlined an active trade agenda, with agreements under discussion or close to completion with Oman, New Zealand, the European Union, and Qatar, as well as talks with South American nations Chile and Peru. The deal with the EU, worth $17 trillion in market size, could be concluded later this year, according to the report.
The prospect of India’s role in Australia’s housing sector marks an unusual intersection of domestic policy challenges in Australia with India’s broader push to expand its global trade and labour partnerships. As reported by PTI, Goyal’s comments signal an ambition to position India not only as a goods exporter but as a skilled workforce provider in one of Australia’s most pressing policy areas.
The push for more housing comes at a time when the debate over migration has become highly charged. Anti-immigration rallies took place recently in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and other cities, where speakers called for a pause on migration and linked population growth to housing shortages. Far-right figures including Thomas Sewell of the National Socialist Network appeared in Melbourne, while libertarian councillor Steve Christou and MP John Ruddick addressed a crowd in Sydney.
Housing was one of the key issues raised by protesters, many of whom want a slowdown of mass migration to ease pressure on infrastructure and affordability. Organisers said they plan to return with larger demonstrations on Australia Day in January 2026, ensuring the issue will remain in the political spotlight.
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