India Participates in 14th East Asia Summit and ASEAN-India Economic Ministers Consultation
An Indian delegation led by Additional Secretary of the Department of Commerce, Shri Nitin Kumar Yadav, participated in the 14th East Asia Summit Economic Ministers' Meeting (EAS-EMM) and the 23rd ASEAN-India Economic Ministers Consultation held in Manila, Philippines. The meetings included participation from all 11 ASEAN countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam) along with EAS partners including India, Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, Korea, Russia, and the United States.
During the meetings, participants exchanged perspectives on prevailing regional and global economic developments. The ASEAN Secretariat provided a briefing on the regional and global economic outlook for 2027, including anticipated implications for trade and investment flows. The Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) presented its paper titled "Powering the EAS Region's Next Wave of Growth: An Integrated Approach to Energy Security and Industrial Clusters," which outlined an integrated approach combining energy infrastructure, digital and industrial demand, and coherent trade and investment policies.
At the ASEAN-India Economic Ministers Consultation, India highlighted its continued commitment to fostering strong trade partnerships and ensuring mutually beneficial regional trade agreements. Discussions specifically focused on the ongoing review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA), aimed at facilitating enhanced trade flows and addressing existing trade asymmetries. India reiterated its commitment to ensuring the AITIGA review outcome is mutually beneficial, balanced, more effective, user-friendly, and trade facilitative for businesses.
The significance of the India-ASEAN partnership was underscored by bilateral trade reaching USD 128.38 billion in 2025–26, with ASEAN accounting for 10.55% of India's total global trade. On the sidelines of the meetings, the Indian delegation interacted with Indian businesses operating in the Philippines on September 22, 2026, discussing issues faced while exporting commodities and services. The delegation also participated in the ASEAN-India Business Forum 2026 organized on September 23, 2026.