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The Hindu
11-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
A.P. Chambers urges Indonesia to ensure tariff parity for Indian corn starch
Ni Made Mahatma Devi, Third Secretary (Economic) at the Indonesian Embassy in New Delhi, met with the office-bearers of the Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce & Industry Federation (AP Chambers) at their office on Thursday to explore avenues for strengthening trade ties between Indonesia and Andhra Pradesh. During the meeting, AP Chambers president Potluri Bhaskar Rao and general secretary B. Raja Sekhar raised key trade concerns affecting Indian exporters. They pointed out that corn starch of Indian origin attracts a 10% import duty in Indonesia, whereas Chinese corn starch enjoys preferential tariff treatment. This, they noted, is despite Indonesia being a major importer of the commodity from both countries. The Indian product's exclusion from the ASEAN–India Free Trade Agreement (AIFTA) preferential tariff list puts Indian exporters at a disadvantage. They urged the Indonesian Embassy to support the inclusion of corn starch under the AIFTA preferential tariff schedule to ensure a level playing field. The Chamber also highlighted procedural hurdles related to the Certificate of Origin—an essential export document. While India has adopted a fully digital system, Indonesian trade authorities continue to insist on physical copies with ink signatures, leading to delays. The Chamber requested the Embassy to take up the matter with the relevant authorities in Indonesia. Further, Mr. Bhaskar Rao expressed concern over Indonesia's quota system on chilli imports from India, which, he said, restricts trade. In contrast, there are no such limits on imports from China. He called for the removal of this quota system to facilitate fairer trade practices.
Hans India
11-07-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Indonesia urged to change norms on import of Indian goods
Vijayawada: Mahatma Devi and Alice, senior officials from the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia visited AP Chambers Office here and interacted with the Chambers' office-bearers and members. The officials discussed the bilateral trade opportunities between Indonesia and Andhra Pradesh. AP Chambers discussed several key issues with the officials and requested the resolution of the issues. During the discussion, AP Chambers mentioned that Corn starch of Indian origin is subject to a 10 percent import duty in Indonesia, while corn starch originating from China enjoys preferential duty treatment. This is despite Indonesia being a significant importer of corn starch from both countries. Unfortunately, Indian-origin corn starch (HS Code: 11081200) is excluded from the ASEAN–India Free Trade Agreement (AIFTA) preferential tariff list, placing Indian exporters at a disadvantage. The Chambers requested the Indonesia Embassy to consider this issue and support the inclusion of corn starch under the preferential tariff schedule for Indian-origin goods. AP Chambers also pointed out that while India has moved to an online digital Certificate of Origin system (a certificate required for exports), Indonesian trade authorities are still insisting on the submission of physical copies with ink signature, which is causing delays in delivering the required documents. The Chambers requested the Indonesian Embassy to take up this issue with the relevant authorities. The Chambers brought to the notice of the officials that Indonesia introduced quota system for import of chillies from India a few years ago, whereas the country does not have any such restriction for import of chillies from China. AP Chambers suggested abolition of the quota system to ensure level playing field for Indian chilli exporters.
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First Post
20-06-2025
- Business
- First Post
Asean is China's B-team, India has no interest in having a trade deal with them: Piyush Goyal
At a time when India is engaged in multiple trade negotiations, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has slammed Asean countries as the 'B-team of China' and has called the trade deal with the bloc 'silly'. read more Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has slammed Asean countries as the 'B-team of China' and has dubbed trade deals with them as 'silly'. Goyal's remarks have come at a time when India is holding trade negotiations with various countries and blocs, such as the United States, European Union (EU), Australia, and New Zealand. In recent time, India has signed trade deals with the United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates (UAE). Speaking at the India Global Forum in the UK, Goyal said in an apparent swipe at the previous Congress-led government that India was 'more focused on doing trade agreements with countries who were our competitors' instead of building complementary partnerships, according to NDTV Profit. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Goyal called such an approach 'silly'. He included the India-Asean trade agreement among such deals and said members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations bloc were 'B-team of China'. 'If I do an ASEAN agreement with Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, it really is silly, because I'm opening up my market to my competitors,' said Goyal. In an apparent reference to the issue of China manipulating country of origin norms by routing its goods via Asean countries, Goyal said that the bloc had become the 'B-Team of China'. Goyal further said, 'Instead of that, we're focusing on Australia and New Zealand, which will take another three to four months.' India and Asean signed the ASEAN–India Free Trade Area (AIFTA) in 2010. While the agreement led to the increase in trade by volume, the balance of trade remains heavily in favour of Asean countries. Coupled with the issue of China gaming the trade pact, the AIFTA has often drawn criticism about not being as beneficial to India as envisioned. Besides the United States, EU, Australia, and New Zealand, India is currently also negotiating trade deals with the trading bloc European Free Trade Association (EFTA), which comprises Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Switzerland. India is also holding trade talks with Chile and Peru.
