New Delhi, Oct 9 (IANS) India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) reviewed progress of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) at the 15th AITIGA Joint Committee and related meetings held in Jakarta, according to an official statement released on Friday, which also announced the next meeting in India in January 2027.
The Ministry of Commerce & Industry said the event — held in hybrid format at the ASEAN Secretariat during October 6-9 — was co-chaired by Nitin Kumar Yadav, Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, India, and Mastura Ahmad Mustafa, Deputy Secretary General (Trade), Ministry of Investment, Trade & Industry, Malaysia.
It saw participation from delegates representing ASEAN countries including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Additionally, the government said the next meeting of the AITIGA Joint Committee will be held in January 2027 in India in the same mode to review progress made by sub-committees and provide further guidance for timely conclusion of negotiations.
On the sidelines of the 15th AITIGA JC, three of eight sub-committees also held hybrid meetings — Sub-Committee on Legal and Institutional Issues (SC-LII), Sub-Committee on National Treatment on Market Access (SC-NTMA) and Sub-Committee on Rules of Origin (SC-ROO).
The Joint Committee directed all sub-committees to expedite pending chapters under the AITIGA Review, establishing firm time-bound deliverables and urging close coordination to ensure measurable progress, according to the ministry.
India and ASEAN reaffirmed shared commitment to a balanced, constructive and forward-looking agreement and to resolve outstanding policy issues, deepen economic integration and modernise the agreement into a mutually beneficial framework, the ministry said.
Earlier in the week, MoS for Power, Shripad Yesso Naik said while addressing the 20th East Asia Summit Energy Ministers’ Meeting in Manila that India and Singapore are exploring options for a proposed 2,000 MW cross-border power interconnection.
One option under consideration is a land-based transmission corridor of approximately 3,000 km connecting Imphal in India to Singapore through Myanmar, Thailand, and Malaysia.
The proposed interconnection has the potential to facilitate reliable cross-border electricity trade, support clean energy integration and strengthen regional energy security.
–IANS
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