India, ASEAN To Resume Free Trade Agreement Review In Jakarta This October, Singapore Ties Also Under Spotlight

New Delhi: The next round of talks to review the India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement in Goods (AITIGA) will take place on October 6-7, 2025 in Jakarta, Indonesia, the Commerce Ministry said on Friday. These talks will be hosted by Malaysia at the ASEAN Secretariat.

The tenth round of review talks was held in New Delhi from August 10-14. Officials from both sides worked on making the agreement more effective, easier to use, and better at promoting trade.

ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) is one of India’s most important trading partners. It accounts for around 11% of India’s total global trade. In 2024-25, India-ASEAN trade touched USD 123 billion, showing strong economic links and scope for more cooperation in the future.

Focus on improving trade rules

The Commerce Ministry said the Joint Committee is working to update the agreement so that it helps businesses more, reduces delays, and improves trade facilitation. This review is aimed at making trade simpler and smoother between India and ASEAN nations.

India-Singapore talks to boost partnership

In a separate development, India and Singapore held the fourth meeting of the Joint Working Group on Trade and Investment (JWGTI) in New Delhi on August 14.

Discussions covered ways to improve logistics, strengthen supply chains, and make regulatory systems easier to follow. The talks also explored cooperation in semiconductors, digital trade, skills training, and capacity building.

Singapore is India’s largest trading partner within ASEAN, with bilateral trade worth USD 34.26 billion in 2024-25. It is also a major source of foreign direct investment (FDI) — between April 2000 and July 2024, Singapore invested USD 163.85 billion in India, which is about 24 percent of total FDI inflows.