India and Indonesia are bringing back trade talks after 5 years
India and Indonesia are set to revive their Working Group on Trade and Investment (WGTI) next month, ending an approximately five-year pause.
The main goal? To address the recent slide in trade between them.
With Indonesia being India's second-biggest trading partner in ASEAN, both sides see this as a chance to boost business and shake up their trade mix.
What's changed—and what's next
Trade between the two countries dropped from $38.8 billion in FY23 to $28.18 billion in FY25, mostly due to lower exports from India.
Sectors like engineering goods, gold jewelry, and pharma could see growth if things go well.
Ahead of the meeting, India is asking industries for feedback on trade barriers and investment hurdles—hoping these insights will help shape better deals and, in the broader context of regional trade, contribute to efforts to reduce its trade deficit with ASEAN.