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India and ASEAN have stepped up efforts to conclude the review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA), with the Joint Committee directing negotiators to expedite the finalisation of outstanding chapters in a move expected to strengthen trade and investment flows between the two sides.
According to a release by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the direction came during the 13th ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) Joint Committee meeting, where members asked the agreement's sub-committees to work towards time-bound deliverables and accelerate negotiations to achieve tangible outcomes under the review process. The review is aimed at modernising the existing trade pact by addressing key areas such as customs procedures, trade facilitation, market access and rules of origin, while making the agreement more responsive to current trade requirements. Three of the eight sub-committees under the Joint Committee -- Customs Procedures and Trade Facilitation, National Treatment and Market Access, and Rules of Origin -- are meeting alongside the main negotiations to advance discussions in their respective areas. The Joint Committee was co-chaired by Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce Nitin Kumar Yadav and Malaysia's Deputy Secretary General (Trade) Mastura Ahmad Mustafa. Delegations from all 10 ASEAN member countries participated in the discussions. The government expects the review of AITIGA to improve market access, simplify trade procedures and strengthen economic integration between India and ASEAN. Faster progress on the negotiations is also expected to create new opportunities for businesses by reducing trade barriers and making the agreement better suited to evolving regional and global supply chains. "ASEAN remains one of India's key trading partners, accounting for around 11 per cent of India's global trade. Bilateral trade between India and ASEAN reached USD 128 billion during 2025-26, reflecting the strong economic partnership between the two sides and providing further opportunities to expand trade and investment cooperation," the release said. The AITIGA, which came into force in 2010, governs trade in goods between India and the 10 ASEAN member states. The ongoing review seeks to update the agreement to reflect changing trade patterns and improve its effectiveness in promoting bilateral trade and investment in the years ahead. (ANI)
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