India-ASEAN AITIGA review concludes in Jakarta; next meet in India in Jan 2027
Synopsis
India and ASEAN wrapped up four days of AITIGA trade talks in Jakarta, directing sub-committees to meet firm deadlines and fixing the next review for January 2027 in India. On the sidelines, a proposed 3,000-km India-to-Singapore power corridor via Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia emerged as a headline geopolitical and energy story — underscoring how the India-ASEAN agenda has grown well beyond goods trade.
Key Takeaways
The 15th AITIGA Joint Committee met in hybrid format at the ASEAN Secretariat, Jakarta from 6 to 9 October 2026 .
The meeting was co-chaired by Nitin Kumar Yadav (India) and Mastura Ahmad Mustafa (Malaysia).
All 10 ASEAN member states participated; three sub-committees — SC-LII, SC-NTMA, and SC-ROO — held parallel sessions.
The next AITIGA Joint Committee meeting is scheduled for January 2027 in India .
India and Singapore are exploring a proposed 2,000 MW cross-border power interconnection via a ~3,000 km land corridor through Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia.
The Joint Committee directed sub-committees to establish firm, time-bound deliverables to ensure timely conclusion of negotiations.
India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on 9 October 2026 concluded the 15th ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) Joint Committee meetings in Jakarta, reviewing the status of ongoing trade negotiations and setting firm timelines for pending chapters. The next AITIGA Joint Committee meeting is scheduled for January 2027 in India, according to an official statement from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Meeting Format and Key Officials
The four-day event, held in hybrid format at the ASEAN Secretariat from 6 to 9 October, 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 and Industry, Malaysia. Delegates from all ten ASEAN member states — Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam — participated in the proceedings.
Key Developments at the 15th AITIGA Joint Committee
On the sidelines of the main Joint Committee session, three of the eight sub-committees also convened hybrid meetings: the Sub-Committee on Legal and Institutional Issues (SC-LII), the Sub-Committee on National Treatment on Market Access (SC-NTMA), and the Sub-Committee on Rules of Origin (SC-ROO). The Joint Committee directed all sub-committees to expedite pending chapters under the AITIGA Review, with firm, time-bound deliverables and a mandate for close coordination to ensure measurable progress.
India and ASEAN reaffirmed their shared commitment to a balanced, constructive and forward-looking agreement, aiming to resolve outstanding policy issues, deepen economic integration, and modernise the trade framework into a mutually beneficial instrument, the ministry said.
India-Singapore Power Interconnection on the Agenda
Separately, earlier in the week, Minister of State for Power Shripad Yesso Naik addressed the 20th East Asia Summit Energy Ministers' Meeting in Manila, disclosing that India and Singapore are exploring 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 northeast India to Singapore through Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia. The proposal, if realised, could facilitate reliable cross-border electricity trade, support clean energy integration, and strengthen regional energy security.
Why the AITIGA Review Matters
The AITIGA, originally signed in 2009, has long been cited by Indian exporters as tilted in ASEAN's favour, with India running a persistent and widening trade deficit with the bloc. The ongoing review is intended to modernise the pact — addressing tariff asymmetries, rules of origin, and non-tariff barriers — to better reflect current supply chain realities. This comes amid broader efforts by India to rebalance its trade relationships in Southeast Asia, particularly as global supply chains are being restructured following geopolitical shifts. The January 2027 deadline signal suggests negotiators are working toward a concluding framework within the next review cycle.
Point of View
And the January 2027 target is as much a political signal as a procedural one — India needs to demonstrate forward movement on trade multilateralism at a time when its bilateral deals with the UK and GCC are also under scrutiny. The persistent India-ASEAN trade deficit, which the original 2009 pact arguably deepened, means New Delhi will be pushing hard on rules of origin and tariff symmetry. The India-Singapore power corridor is the more striking reveal: a 3,000-km overland grid through Myanmar is geopolitically complex and operationally ambitious, and its feasibility depends on regional stability that cannot be taken for granted. Mainstream coverage tends to treat AITIGA progress as routine diplomacy — but the combination of trade rebalancing and cross-border energy infrastructure signals a broader India-ASEAN strategic deepening that deserves closer scrutiny.
NationPress
9 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the AITIGA and why is it being reviewed?
The ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA), originally signed in 2009, governs tariff and trade terms between India and the ten-member ASEAN bloc. It is being reviewed to modernise rules of origin, address tariff asymmetries, and reduce non-tariff barriers, as India has long argued the original pact widened its trade deficit with ASEAN.
What was decided at the 15th AITIGA Joint Committee meeting in Jakarta?
The Joint Committee directed all eight sub-committees to expedite pending chapters with firm, time-bound deliverables. Three sub-committees — on legal and institutional issues, market access, and rules of origin — also held parallel sessions during the 6-9 October meeting.
When and where is the next AITIGA Joint Committee meeting?
The next meeting is scheduled for January 2027 in India, in the same hybrid format. It will review progress made by sub-committees and provide guidance for the timely conclusion of negotiations.
What is the proposed India-Singapore power interconnection?
India and Singapore are exploring a 2,000 MW cross-border power interconnection, with one option being a land-based transmission corridor of approximately 3,000 km from Imphal in northeast India to Singapore through Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia. The proposal aims to support clean energy integration and regional energy security.
Who co-chaired the 15th AITIGA Joint Committee?
The meeting was co-chaired by Nitin Kumar Yadav, Additional Secretary at India's Department of Commerce, and Mastura Ahmad Mustafa, Deputy Secretary General (Trade) at Malaysia's Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry.
