India, ASEAN countries hold 4th joint committee meeting to review AITIGA
ASEAN countries and India held the 4th joint committee meeting for the review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) from May 7-9 in Putrajaya, Malaysia, according to the India’s Department of Commerce.
Delegates from ASEAN countries and India attend the meeting. (Photo: globalgovernancenews.com)
New Delhi (VNA)🌺 – ASEAN countries and India held the 4th joint committee meeting for the review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) from May 7-9 in Putrajaya, Malaysia, according to the India’s Department of Commerce.
Additional Secretary of the department Rajesh Agrawal and Deputy Secretary General (Trade) of Malaysia’s Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry Mastura Ahmad Mustafa co-chaired the meeting.
The discussions for review of AITIGA, to make it more trade-facilitative and beneficial for businesses across the region, started in May 2023. The joint committee undertaking the review work has met four times so far. The committee finalised its Terms of Reference and the Negotiating Structure for the review negotiations in its first two meetings and initiated the negotiations for review of AITIGA from its third meeting held from February 18-19 in New Delhi.
AITIGA was signed in 2009. In September 2022, both sides tasked the AITIGA joint committee to conduct a review to make the agreement more trade-friendly and mutually beneficial.
Eight sub-committees have been established to address the various policy areas of the Agreement during its review. Five of the sub-commitees have started discussions and delivered the discussion results at the 4th AITIGA Joint Committee.
Four of these Sub-Committees convened in person in Putrajaya, Malaysia, dealing with issues relating to “National Treatment and Market Access,” “Rules of Origin,” “Standards, Technical Regulations and Conformity Assessment Procedures,” and “Legal and Institutional Issues.”
The next meeting of the joint committee is expected to take place in Jakarta, Indonesia, on July 29–31.
ASEAN is one of India’s main trading partners with an 11% share of India’s global trade. In 2023–2024, their bilateral commerce reached 122.67 billion USD. Bilateral trade is expected to increase even more as a result of the AITIGA upgrade./.
Global business leaders are increasingly looking to India and Southeast Asia as alternative supply chain destinations while trade relations between China and the US deteriorate, according to a poll by PwC published on May 9.
The 26th ASEAN – India Senior Officials’ Meeting was held in New Delhi on May 3 under the chair of Secretary (East) at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Jaideep Mazumdar and Permanent Secretary of the Singaporean Ministry of Foreign Affairs Albert Chua.
The 30th ASEAN-China Senior Officials’ Consultation took place in Jakarta on May 10, with the sides reaffirming commitments to enhancing their comprehensive strategic partnership (CSP).
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
Efforts to empower women must transcend dialogue and translate into concrete commitments, including corporate pledges and government partnerships, according to the spouse of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The forum featured two in-depth discussion sessions, engaging representatives from governments, think tanks, and businesses from both ASEAN and China, on how to forge closer ties for a common future.
The new FIFA Hub in Jakarta will not only support football development in Indonesia but also serve as a coordination centre for 21 football associations across Southeast and East Asia.
Minister Counselor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen reaffirmed Vietnam’s principled and consistent stance on the Palestine issue, calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire across the entire Gaza Strip.
PM Anwar Ibrahim affirmed the determination of Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair for 2025, to utilise all viable regional mechanisms of the bloc and work with partners to de-escalate violence and restore a peace process led by Myanmar.
Talking to the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Vietnam’s Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925–2025), Nikulina, who is also a veteran journalist of Russia’s Sputnik News, emphasised the vital role of mainstream journalism in defending the truth and maintaining public trust.
The Ministry of Commerce reported that imports also rose 18% to 29.9 billion USD during the same period, resulting in a trade surplus of 1.1 billion USD. In May alone, Thailand posted a 4.6 billion USD trade surplus with the US and a 4.1 billion USD trade deficit with China.
The World Bank will provide a 2.1 billion USD financing package for Indonesia, focusing oncreating jobs, stimulating economic growth, and enhancing access to clean energy across the country.
Member states also reviewed progress on six priority areas for 2025, including the development of an underground cable framework, the follow-up agreement to the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement (APSA), the launch of the ASEAN Energy Efficiency Database, and the rollout of an investment platform for sustainable building initiatives.
In March, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra met with Formula 1 chief Stefano Domenicali and said Thailand would commission a feasibility study into hosting a Grand Prix on a Bangkok street circuit from 2028.
The proposed giant sea wall aligns with bilateral cooperation and has been designated a national priority, considering that several regions in Indonesia are experiencing land subsidence of 10–15 centimetres per year.
International flights were cancelled including Jetstar and Virgin Australia flights to cities across Australia, and flights of Air India, Air New Zealand, Singapore's TigerAir and China's Juneyao Airlines.
The partnership aims to strengthen collaboration in the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources, including gold, copper, and manganese, as well as in the development of steel, aluminum, and renewable energy industries.
