Officials from India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are scheduled to meet in Jakarta next week, on October 6-7, 2025, to continue discussions regarding the review of their free trade agreement in goods (AITIGA). The primary aim of this review is to enhance the effectiveness, accessibility, and trade facilitation capabilities of the existing agreement.
The previous, tenth round of negotiations took place in New Delhi in August 2025. During these discussions, the Joint Committee focused on advancing the AITIGA review. The upcoming meeting in Jakarta will be hosted by Malaysia.
The AITIGA review holds significant importance for India, as ASEAN accounts for approximately 11% of India's global trade. In 2024-25, the bilateral trade between India and ASEAN reached $123 billion, demonstrating strong economic ties. However, India's imports from ASEAN significantly outweigh its exports. In 2024-25, India's imports from ASEAN totaled $84.15 billion, while exports were $38.96 billion. The review seeks to address this imbalance by streamlining trade processes and reducing barriers.
In addition to the AITIGA review, the fourth meeting of the India-Singapore Joint Working Group on Trade and Investment (JWGTI) was held in New Delhi on August 14, 2025. Discussions centered on identifying priority sectors for greater alignment, improving logistics and supply chains, streamlining regulatory frameworks, and exploring ways to facilitate cross-border trade. The meeting also involved a review of ongoing collaboration in areas such as the semiconductor sector and digitalization of trade, along with exploring potential partnerships in skills development and capacity building.
Singapore is India's largest trading partner within ASEAN, with total bilateral trade of $34.26 billion in 2024-25. Singapore is also India's second-largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI), with equity inflows of $163.85 billion between April 2000 and July 2024, representing about 24% of India's total inflows.
India has expressed strong support for ASEAN's centrality and community-building efforts, actively participating in ASEAN-led mechanisms and forums.
