New Delhi, June 20 (IANS) The Congress on Friday criticised Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal for what it called ‘belittling India-ASEAN Trade Agreements’ that were signed during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) era.

Former Union Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma, in a statement, said Goyal’s remark belittling India-ASEAN Trade Agreements is unwarranted, ill-advised and unfortunate.

“The Commerce Minister should prioritise strengthening trade relations with partner countries and not insult them while bending backwards to negotiate a suboptimal trade agreement with the US on its terms,” said the Congress leader, alleging flaws in the government’s ongoing trade talks with the Donald Trump administration.

Highlighting the importance of the ASEAN grouping, Sharma said, “India and the ASEAN group of countries have been for over three decades engaged in a multifaceted relationship which is mutually rewarding and important.”

“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,” said Sharma.

He said Goyal’s statement, terming the Trade agreement with ASEAN as silly and labelling these countries as the B team of China, is ‘irresponsible and insulting’.

Sharma said Goyal has forgotten that President of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto was the chief guest for the 2025 Republic Day Parade.

The Congress leader and former UPA minister said that successive Indian governments have consciously pursued the ‘Look East policy’ and elevated India–ASEAN relations to a strategic partnership.

India is also a member of the East Asia Summit (EAS) of ASEAN plus six (Japan, India, South Korea, China, Australia and New Zealand). Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia are strategic partner countries, he said in a statement.

The former Minister said the CECA (Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement) with ASEAN and Trade agreements with Japan and South Korea are aimed at promoting investments and trade in goods and services.

“The agreements were diligently negotiated considering India’s interests in this vibrant region. There are inbuilt checks and review mechanisms in all trade agreements that India has signed,” he said.

Trade in goods with ASEAN countries also includes essential imports: Iron ore and Coal from Indonesia, palm oil from Malaysia and Indonesia, oil-petroleum products from Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia and pulses from Myanmar, said Sharma.

The Congress leader went on to target Goyal, saying the latter needs to be reminded of the fundamental rule of trade: “No country can export what it does not produce nor import what it does not need.”

Earlier on Thursday, Goyal criticised India’s legacy trade agreements with ASEAN nations, calling them ‘silly’.

Speaking at the India Global Forum, the Union Minister said that 15 years ago, India was “more focused on doing trade agreements with countries who were our competitors,” instead of building complementary partnerships.

–IANS

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