India, ASEAN to expedite review of AITIGA trade pact with timeline

India and ASEAN have agreed to fast-track the review of their trade agreement (AITIGA), setting clear timelines to modernise the pact. The decision was made at the 15th Joint Committee meeting in Jakarta, with the next meeting set for India in 2027.

Stills from the meeting (Photo/ANI)

India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have agreed to expedite pending chapters under the review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA), setting time-bound deliverables to accelerate negotiations and modernise the trade pact.

Joint Committee Sets Clear Timelines

The decision was taken at the 15th meeting of the AITIGA Joint Committee, held in Jakarta, Indonesia, from October 6 to 9, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Friday.

The Joint Committee directed all sub-committees to expedite work on pending chapters and ensure closer coordination to achieve measurable progress, as both sides seek to resolve outstanding policy issues and strengthen economic integration.

India and ASEAN reaffirmed their commitment to a balanced, constructive and forward-looking agreement that would strengthen bilateral trade and establish a mutually beneficial framework, the ministry said.

Future Meetings and Participants

The next meeting of the AITIGA Joint Committee will be held in India in January 2027 in hybrid mode to review progress made by the sub-committees and provide further guidance for the timely conclusion of negotiations.

The meeting was co-chaired by Nitin Kumar Yadav, Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce, and Mastura Ahmad Mustafa, Deputy Secretary General (Trade) at Malaysia's Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry. Delegations from ASEAN member countries, including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, participated in the meeting, which was conducted in a hybrid format.

Focus on Sub-Committees and Key Issues

Three of the eight sub-committees under the AITIGA Joint Committee also held meetings alongside the main session. These included the Sub-Committee on Legal and Institutional Issues, the Sub-Committee on National Treatment on Market Access, and the Sub-Committee on Rules of Origin.

The discussions provided a platform for both sides to strengthen collaboration, improve mutual understanding and sustain dialogue on outstanding issues in the agreement.

The AITIGA review aims to modernise the existing trade framework, with the latest round of discussions focused on advancing negotiations across pending chapters and establishing a clearer timeline for progress. The upcoming January meeting is expected to assess the progress achieved by the sub-committees and guide further negotiations towards the timely completion of the review. (ANI)

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