India Eyes ASEAN Trade Deal Rewrite via Kuala Lumpur Diplomacy

• PM Modi's Malaysia visit focused on strengthening India-Malaysia ties, signing pacts on semiconductors, health, and disaster management.
• Malaysia, India's third-largest ASEAN trading partner, chairs the review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA).
• India aims to leverage its bilateral relationship with Malaysia to push for changes to the AITIGA, which it views as lopsided.
• India's trade deficit with ASEAN widened significantly from $7.5 billion in 2011 to $44 billion in 2023, citing issues like inverted duty structures and non-tariff barriers.
• The visit saw agreements on digital payments, defense cooperation, and semiconductor collaboration, setting a template for broader ASEAN engagement.