New Delhi, August 15(HS):

India has reinforced its commitment to deepening economic integration with Southeast Asia by hosting the 10th Meeting of the ASEAN–India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) Joint Committee and associated sessions at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi, from August 10 to 14, 2025. The high-level discussions, conducted in a hybrid format, brought together delegates from all ten ASEAN member states — Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The meeting was co-chaired by Nitin Kumar Yadav, Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, and Mastura Ahmad Mustafa, Deputy Secretary General (Trade), Ministry of Investment, Trade & Industry, Malaysia.

Central to the deliberations was the ongoing review of AITIGA, aimed at making the agreement more effective, inclusive, and responsive to contemporary trade realities. Participants examined ways to streamline market access, enhance trade facilitation, and ensure the regulatory framework keeps pace with evolving commercial needs. The dialogue built upon the progress achieved across eight prior rounds of negotiations.

To advance the review, seven of the eight Sub-Committees under the Joint Committee convened on the margins. These included:

-Customs Procedures and Trade Facilitation (SC-CPTF)

-Legal and Institutional Issues (SC-LII)

-National Treatment and Market Access (SC-NTMA)

-Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SC-SPS)

-Rules of Origin (SC-ROO)

-Standards, Technical Regulations and Conformity Assessment Procedures (SC-STRACAP)

-Trade Remedies (SC-TR)

The sub-committee interactions provided a technical foundation for consensus-building, ensuring the modernisation process of AITIGA aligns with mutual priorities and strengthens the ASEAN–India supply chain ecosystem.

ASEAN continues to be a strategic trading bloc for India, accounting for approximately 11% of India’s overall trade. Bilateral exchanges reached USD 123 billion in FY 2024–25, reflecting resilient and expanding economic linkages across sectors.

Looking ahead, the next AITIGA Joint Committee meeting will be held on October 6–7, 2025, at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia, under Malaysia’s chairmanship. The session is expected to further accelerate negotiations toward an upgraded, forward-looking trade framework.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar