India hosts AITIGA Joint Committee Meeting

Prelims: Current events of national and international importance | International Relations

Why in News?

Recently, India hosted the 13th ASEAN‑India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) Joint Committee meeting in New Delhi.

AITIGA (ASEAN‑India Trade in Goods Agreement) – A Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed in 2009, effective from 2010.
It removes or reduces tariffs on over 75% of goods traded between India and ASEAN’s 10 countries.

ASEAN Member States – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam

Key Highlights

Participation – Delegations from all 10 ASEAN member states.
Objective – Provide strategic guidance to sub‑committees, expedite finalisation of outstanding chapters, and assign time‑bound deliverables.
Sub-Committee on National Treatment and Market Access (SC-NTMA) – Imported goods are treated like local ones, and trade barriers are reduced for smoother India‑ASEAN market access.
Sub-Committee on Rules of Origin (SC-ROO) – Makes sure products truly come from India or ASEAN, stopping 3^rd‑country goods from wrongly getting tariff benefits.
Sub-Committee on Customs Procedures and Trade Facilitation (SC-CPTF) – Uses digital systems and faster clearances to cut costs and improve supply chains.

Reference

News on Air | AITIGA