(a) whether India and ASEAN countries have signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA);
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the details of consultations/discussion held with stakeholders before signing the
agreement;
(d) the details of products on which the tariffs between ASEAN countries and India would be abolished; and
(e) the benefits likely to be accrued to India with the signing of the said agreement?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI JYOTIRADITYA M. SCINDIA)
(a) & (b) Yes, Madam. India and ASEAN have signed a Trade in Goods Agreement on 13th
August, 2009 which is envisaged to come into force with effect from 1st January, 2010.
(c) During the ASEAN – India FTA negotiations, domestic consultations were held through
various rounds of Inter-Ministerial meetings and stakeholder dialogues.
(d) India and ASEAN Member Countries have offered to eliminate tariff on specified tariff
lines listed in the Schedules of the Trade in Goods Agreement which are available at http://
commerce.gov.in/trade/international_ta_indasean.asp
(e) The Agreement would lead to growth in bilateral trade and investment resulting in
economic welfare gains to India. Indian exporters of Machinery & Machine Parts, Steel &
Steel Products, Oilcake, Wheat, Buffalo Meat, Automobiles & Auto Components, Chemicals,
Synthetic Textiles, etc. would gain additional market access into the ASEAN countries. Indian
manufacturers would be able to source intermediate products at competitive prices from the
ASEAN markets for further reprocessing and export.