New Delhi, 21–22 November 2024: ERIA participated in the Sixth ASEAN–India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) Joint Committee Meeting (6th AIJC), held in New Delhi from 21 to 22 November 2024. During the meeting, ERIA presented its findings and recommendations in the study it undertook on the review of the AITIGA.

The AITIGA is undergoing a review to assess the extent of liberalisation achieved under the agreement. The review also aims to investigate the possibility of upgrading and enhancing the AITIGA to make it more modern, user-friendly, business-oriented, and effective in deepening and broadening ASEAN-India economic integration. 

The 6th AIJC Meeting was co-chaired by Mastura Ahmad Mustafa, Deputy Secretary General (Trade) of Malaysia’s Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry (MITI), and Shri Rajesh Agrawal, Additional Secretary of India’s Department of Commerce. Delegates from all the ASEAN Member States (AMS) attended the meeting, which focused on advancing discussions on the review and modernisation of the AITIGA, with the goal of completing the process by 2025.

ERIA's delegation included Dr Rashesh Shrestha, Anita Prakash, Salvador M. Buban, Anna Robeniol, and Rudhian Chlissma Putra.

Ahead of the AIJC meeting, on 19 November 2024, the ERIA team conducted a workshop with AMS, where ERIA presented the full findings and assessment of the AITIGA study. The workshop also provided an opportunity for AMS to seek clarification on the study’s recommendations and how these could contribute to the ongoing AITIGA review. In collaboration with the Centre for WTO Studies (CWS), which conducted a parallel study for India’s Ministry of Commerce, ERIA and CWS also jointly shared their common recommendations with the AITIGA JC.

ERIA’s participation at the 6th AIJC Meeting marked a critical milestone following ERIA’s submission of its final draft study to AMS on 1 November 2024. The finalised submission will be made after incorporating feedback from the 6th AITIGA-JC Meeting. 

The AITIGA, signed in August 2009 and effective from January 2010, is a key component of the ASEAN–India Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation. The agreement aims to facilitate trade and strengthen economic ties between ASEAN and India. 

In September 2022, at the 19th ASEAN–India Economic Ministers’ Consultation in Cambodia, the ministers approved a Scope Document for the AITIGA review. The review focuses on addressing implementation issues and enhancing the agreement’s effectiveness, simplicity, and relevance to modern trade practices. 

The review, expected to conclude in 2025, aims to result in an upgraded AITIGA that will strengthen trade between ASEAN and India. The upgrade seeks to overcome challenges such as limited market-opening commitments and low utilisation rates, ensuring that the agreement evolves into a modern, forward-thinking framework that meets the needs of businesses while adapting to regional and global developments.