Bilateral trade between India and ASEAN hit $128 billion in 2025–26, showcasing a robust economic alliance and opening doors for enhanced trade and investment collaboration. ASEAN stands out as a significant trading ally for India, contributing about 11% to India’s overall trade globally, as per the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
In a bid to fortify this bond, India is currently hosting the 13th ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) Joint Committee and related meetings from July 6-10. The focus is on assessing the progress of negotiations under the AITIGA Review.
During the Joint Committee meeting, strategic direction was provided to the Sub-Committees in their respective domains of operation, emphasizing the need to expedite the finalization of pending chapters under the AITIGA Review. “To sustain the negotiation pace, the Sub-Committees were given specific tasks with set timelines and encouraged to collaborate closely to achieve concrete results within the agreed schedules,” the statement highlighted.
Meetings of three out of the eight Sub-Committees under the AITIGA Joint Committee are concurrently taking place alongside the 13th Joint Committee meeting. These encompass the Sub-Committee on Customs Procedures and Trade Facilitation (SC-CPTF), the Sub-Committee on National Treatment and Market Access (SC-NTMA), and the Sub-Committee on Rules of Origin (SC-ROO).
The ongoing meetings serve as a crucial avenue to enhance collaboration, bolster mutual understanding, and drive productive discussions between India and ASEAN. The 13th AITIGA Joint Committee meeting was co-led by Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce Nitin Kumar Yadav, and Deputy Secretary General (Trade) from the Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry, Malaysia, Mastura Ahmad Mustafa.
