The 15th AITIGA Joint Committee (JC) meeting and related sub-committee meetings were held in a hybrid format at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia, from October 6 to 9, 2026.     The meeting was co-chaired by Nitin Kumar Yadav, Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India, and Mastura Ahmad Mustafa, Deputy Secretary-General (Trade), Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry, Malaysia. Delegations from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam participated in the discussions.      Three of the eight sub-committees operating under the AITIGA Joint Committee also convened meetings alongside the main session. These included the Sub-Committee on Legal and Institutional Issues (SC-LII), the Sub-Committee on National Treatment on Market Access (SC-NTMA) and the Sub-Committee on Rules of Origin (SC-ROO).     The meetings provided a platform for both sides to address outstanding matters, deepen cooperation and advance negotiations across key areas of the agreement.     The Joint Committee directed all sub-committees to expedite negotiations on pending chapters, establish firm, time-bound deliverables and strengthen coordination to ensure measurable progress towards concluding the review.     India and ASEAN reiterated their commitment to a balanced, constructive and forward-looking agreement that addresses outstanding policy issues and delivers mutual benefits. The review is aimed at modernising the existing framework to strengthen bilateral trade and deepen economic ties between India and the ASEAN member states.    

The next meeting of the AITIGA Joint Committee is scheduled to be held in India in January 2027 in hybrid mode. The meeting will assess progress achieved by the sub-committees and provide further guidance to accelerate negotiations towards the timely conclusion of the review.