India hosts 8th Meeting of Joint Committee on ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA)

ANI April 11, 2025 196 views

India successfully hosted the 8th ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) Joint Committee meeting in New Delhi. The hybrid conference brought together delegates from 10 ASEAN countries to review and modernize their trade agreement. Discussions focused on improving trade facilitation, customs procedures, and economic cooperation between the regions. Bilateral trade between India and ASEAN has reached an impressive USD 121 billion, highlighting the strategic importance of this economic partnership.

"ASEAN remains a pivotal trade partner for India" - Ministry of Commerce & Industry Release
New Delhi, April 11: The 8th meeting of the AITIGA Joint Committee to review the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) hosted by India at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi, concluded on Friday.

Key Points

1

India and ASEAN review trade agreement to enhance economic cooperation

2

Bilateral trade reaches USD 121 billion in 2023-24

3

Five sub-committees conduct hybrid meetings to discuss trade facilitation

The meeting, which began on April 7, was conducted in a hybrid format. The meeting was co-chaired by Rajesh Agrawal, Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and Deputy Co-Chair Sugumari S. Shanmugam, Senior Director Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry, Malaysia, according to release by Ministry of Commerce & Industry.

The meeting saw participation from delegates representing ASEAN countries, including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The committee's primary objective was to advance the ongoing review of the AITIGA, aiming to modernize the agreement to be more effective, user-friendly, and conducive to trade. Five out of eight Sub-Committees (SCs) under the AITIGA JC also conducted hybrid meetings on the margins of the 8th AITIGA JC. Out of which, four SCs, namely Sub-Committee on Customs Procedures and Trade Facilitation (SC-CPTF); Sub-Committee on Economic & Technical cooperation (SC-ETC); Sub-Committee on National Treatment and Market Access (SC-NTMA); and Sub-Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SC-SPS) met in New Delhi, India, while the Sub-Committee on Rules of Origin (SC-ROO) met in Jakarta, Indonesia, facilitating progress in textual discussions and progressing in groundwork for tariff negotiations, the release stated.

ASEAN remains a pivotal trade partner for India, accounting for approximately 11% of India's global trade. In the fiscal year 2023-24, bilateral trade between India and ASEAN reached USD 121 billion.

The next AITIGA JC meeting is scheduled for June 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, continuing the collaborative efforts to enhance ASEAN-India economic integration, the release added

Reader Comments

P
Priya K.
This is such positive news for India's trade relations! ASEAN has been such an important partner and it's great to see these discussions moving forward. The hybrid format makes so much sense in today's world 🌍
R
Rahul S.
$121 billion in trade is impressive! But I wonder if we're getting the best deal possible. The article mentions modernization - hope that includes better terms for Indian exporters too.
A
Ananya P.
Love seeing India taking leadership in these international trade discussions! The hybrid meeting format is smart - reduces costs while maintaining engagement. Kudos to the team 👏
S
Sanjay M.
While this is good progress, I wish the article gave more details about what specific changes are being proposed in the agreement modernization. Transparency in these discussions is important for public trust.
L
Lina T.
The economic cooperation between India and ASEAN countries has so much potential! Excited to see how this develops, especially in sectors like tech and agriculture. The next meeting in KL should be interesting!
V
Vikram J.
Great to see all these sub-committees working simultaneously. The SPS (Sanitary/Phytosanitary) discussions are particularly crucial for our agricultural exports. Hope they're addressing non-tariff barriers effectively.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Tags:
ASEAN-India Trade Economic Collaboration Trade Agreement Rajesh Agrawal Vanijya Bhawan AITIGA
You May Like!