India and Malaysia undertook a high-level bilateral meeting to discuss trade, investment, and technology collaboration in New Delhi on March 18, 2025. The Union Minister of State for Commerce & Industry and Electronics & Information Technology, Jitin Prasada met with Malaysia’s Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry, Liew Chin Tong, at Vanijya Bhawan.
Malaysia is a prominent member of the ASEAN and the ASEAN Chair for 2025, playing a crucial role in shaping regional economic policies. The ongoing review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) was one of the key topics of discussion during the bilateral meeting. Both nations observed the need to accelerate the review process to reach a substantial conclusion by 2025 with the key objectives of boosting trade flows and ensuring a balanced and mutually beneficial agreement.
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Other discussions revolved around bilateral trade issues, market access concerns, and economic cooperation. The Ministers also acceded to the prominence of the semiconductor industry, which is an expanding avenue for investment and collaboration. Malaysia, with its well-developed semiconductor ecosystem offers expertise and manufacturing capabilities that could complement India’s ambitions within the sector, facilitating an exchange of technology and skilled workforce.
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The Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme (FMCS) of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) was another critical issue addressed in the meeting. FMCS ensures that foreign-manufactured goods entering India comply with safety and quality standards.
Malaysia is India’s third-largest trading partner within ASEAN, with a total trade value of USD 20.02 billion in 2023-24, accounting for about 17% of India’s overall trade with the region. The meeting underscored the commitment of both nations to resolving trade-related concerns, expanding market access, and fostering deeper economic ties in the coming years.
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Senior diplomats and government officials from Malaysia’s Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry and India’s Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Ministry of External Affairs, and Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) were also present at the meeting.
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