Hitting out at Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal for his remarks in opposition to the India-ASEAN commerce agreements, former Commerce Minister and Congress veteran Anand Sharma on Friday mentioned that labelling the Southeast Asian international locations because the “B team of China is irresponsible and insulting”.
Mr. Goyal, talking on the India World Discussion board (IGF) session on UK-India Science, Expertise and Innovation Collaboration on the Science Museum in London on Thursday, had mentioned that 15 years in the past India was extra targeted on doing Free Commerce Agreements (FTAs) with international locations “who were our competitors”.
“So, if I am doing an ASEAN agreement, it really is silly because (that is) opening up my market to my competitors, many of whom have now become the B team of China. So, effectively and indirectly, I have opened up my market for goods that find their way from China into India,” he had mentioned.
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Rebutting the assertion, Mr. Sharma mentioned successive Indian governments have consciously pursued this coverage and elevated India-ASEAN relations to a strategic partnership.
“Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s statement belittling India ASEAN Trade Agreements is unwarranted, ill advised and unfortunate. India and ASEAN group of countries are for over three decades engaged in a multi-faceted relationship which is mutually rewarding and important,” he mentioned in a press release.
‘Integral part of Look East policy’
“This is an integral part of the Look East policy to deepen and diversify India’s relations with a region that is economically vibrant and of enormous Geo-Strategic importance for engagement with the Asia-Pacific region,” Mr. Sharma mentioned.1
The Congress chief mentioned India can be a member of East Asia Summit (EAS) of ASEAN + six (Japan, India, South Korea, China, Australia and New Zealand) and Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia are strategic associate international locations.
“Piyush Goyal’s statement terming the Trade agreement with ASEAN as silly and labelling these countries as B team of China is irresponsible and insulting. He has forgotten that President of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto was the chief guest for 2025 Republic Day Parade,” Mr. Sharma mentioned.
He mentioned the CECA (Complete Financial Cooperation Settlement) with ASEAN and commerce agreements with Japan and South Korea are aimed toward selling investments and commerce in items and companies.
‘Suboptimal trade agreement with USA’
“Piyush Goyal needs to be reminded of the fundamental rule of trade: ‘No country can export what it does not produce nor imports what it does not need’. It needs mention that ASEAN is India’s fourth largest trading partner accounting for over 11% of India’s total global trade with bilateral trade at 120 billion USD and accounts for over 11% of India’s Exports. FDI inflows from ASEAN to India account for over 18% of total FDI inflows since 2000,” the Congress veteran mentioned.
Mr. Sharma argued that the agreements have been diligently negotiated contemplating India’s pursuits with this vibrant area and in-built checks and evaluate mechanisms have been put in place. He added that commerce in items with ASEAN international locations contains important imports: iron ore and coal from Indonesia, palm oil from Malaysia and Indonesia, oil – petroleum merchandise from Brunei Dares Salam and Malaysia and pulses from Myanmar.
“In an interconnected and interdependent world, partnerships are the way forward and not exclusion and isolation. The commerce minister should be prioritising strengthening trade relations with partner countries and not insulting them while bending backwards to negotiate a suboptimal trade agreement with USA on its terms,” Mr. Sharma mentioned.
Revealed – June 20, 2025 09:50 pm IST
