Labelling ASEAN countries as China's 'B-team' insulting: Cong slams Goyal

Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma on Friday criticised Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal for his adverse remarks against the India-ASEAN trade agreements, calling them “unfortunate” and “unwarranted”.

“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 said in a statement.

“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 geostrategic importance for engagement with the Asia-Pacific region,” he said.

Speaking at the India Global Forum (IGF) session on UK-India Science, Technology and Innovation Collaboration at the Science Museum in London, Goyal had said, “There was a point of time 15 years ago when we were more focused on doing FTAs with countries 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 added.

Sharma, a former Commerce Minister himself, said successive Indian governments have consciously pursued this policy and elevated India-ASEAN relations to a strategic partnership. He said India is also 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 partner countries.

“Goyal’s statement terming the trade agreement with ASEAN as silly and labelling these counties as B team of China is irresponsible and insulting. He has forgotten that Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto was the chief guest for 2025 Republic Day Parade,” Sharma said.

The senior Congress leader said the CECA (Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement) with ASEAN and trade agreements with Japan and South Korea were aimed at promoting investments and trade in goods and services.

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

“Trade in goods with ASEAN counties 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. Goyal 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’,” the senior Congress leader said.

Sharma added that ASEAN is India’s fourth largest trading, partner accounting for over 11 per cent of India’s total global trade with bilateral trade at $120 billion and accounts for over 11 per cent of India’s exports.

FDI inflows from ASEAN to India account for over 18 per cent of total FDI inflows since 2000, he noted.