India’s Current Engagement of FTAs and PTAs

Frame of Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation between Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and India (ASEAN-INDIA-CEC)

India signed this agreement with the members of the ASEAN countries (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) for a Ccomprehensive Economic Cooperation

• India became a Sectoral Dialogue Partner of ASEAN in 1992 and Full Dialogue Partner in 1996. 

• ASEAN-India FTA aims at an economic cooperation within 10 years time frame.

• India will extend special and differential trade treatment to ASEAN countries, based on their levels of development to improve their market access to India.

• Negotiations were to be concluded by 30th June 2005.  Tariff reduction will start in 2006 and MFN rates to be gradually eliminated.

• India agreed to eliminate tariffs for Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam by 2011.

• Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand will eliminate tariffs for India by 2011 and new ASEAN states, i.e., Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Vietnam will eliminate tariffs  for India by 2016.