ASEAN and India Deepen Sustainable Tourism and Economic Partnerships at 47th Summit
At the 47th ASEAN Summit 2025, ASEAN and India reaffirmed their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, focusing on sustainable tourism, inclusive growth, and regional resilience. Key outcomes included a Joint Leaders’ Statement on Sustainable Tourism and progress on the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement. The summit also featured the signing of the Malaysia–South Korea Free Trade Agreement, enhancing bilateral trade, investment, and cooperation in green and digital economies.
The 47th ASEAN Summit, held from 26 to 28 October 2025, marked significant advancements in regional cooperation, particularly between ASEAN and India. Both parties reaffirmed their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, with a special emphasis on sustainable tourism, as outlined in their Joint Leaders’ Statement. This statement commits ASEAN and India to promoting responsible travel, empowering local communities, and building tourism resilience across the region. Economically, the summit highlighted progress in the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) review, aiming to finalize negotiations by the end of 2025 to strengthen regional trade and supply chains. Additionally, the launch of the ASEAN-India Digital Future Fund and support for the India–Myanmar–Thailand Three-Way Highway Project were announced to boost digital connectivity and regional infrastructure. Beyond ASEAN-India relations, the summit saw the conclusion of the Malaysia–South Korea Free Trade Agreement (MKFTA), which grants Malaysia duty-free access for key exports and covers goods, services, investments, digital trade, green and bioeconomy sectors, and economic cooperation. The agreement also includes a Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Cooperation on Supply Chains, focusing on supply chain resilience and economic security. Human capital development through training and expert exchanges is another pillar of the MKFTA. Malaysia and South Korea aim to deepen collaboration in industrial development, trade, and investment, with a particular focus on SMEs, green mobility, digitalisation, and innovation. The summit underscored the importance of public-private partnerships and regional collaboration to address common challenges and seize emerging opportunities in the Indo-Pacific.
