Kuala Lumpur: ASEAN Economic Ministers have raised concerns regarding the sluggish advancements in the free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with India, as reported by Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz. The statement was made during a press conference following the conclusion of the 25th ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Council Meeting, which was part of the 46th ASEAN Summit.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Tengku Zafrul expressed that the ASEAN-India FTA is not advancing at the desired pace. However, specific reasons behind the slow progress were not disclosed. The ASEAN-India Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation, signed during the 2nd ASEAN-India Summit in 2003, was intended to establish a robust foundation for an ASEAN-India Free Trade Area encompassing goods, services, and investments.

The ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) was later signed on August 13, 2009, in Bangkok, and it came into effect on January 1, 2010. As of 2023, ASEAN stands as India’s seventh-largest trading partner, with a total trade volume exceeding US$130 billion, including US$44 billion in exports and US$87 billion in imports.

The 25th AEC Council Meeting, chaired by Tengku Zafrul, was attended by prominent figures such as Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Liew Chin Tong, Brunei’s Minister of Finance and Economy II Datuk Awang Mohd Amin Liew Abdullah, Cambodia’s Minister of Commerce Cham Nimul, Vietnam’s Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien, Indonesian Trade Minister Budi Santoso, and Laos’ Minister of Industry and Commerce Malaithong Kommasith. Other participants included representatives from the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Timor-Leste.

The 46th ASEAN Summit, themed ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’ under Malaysia’s 2025 chairmanship, marks the fifth occasion Malaysia has chaired the regional bloc.