Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – As ASEAN Chair in 2025, Malaysia is set to play a central role in advancing the bloc’s economic cooperation with India, said President of the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia Datuk Seri N Gobalakrishnan.
Addressing the ASEAN – India Business Summit 2025 on September 26, he said ASEAN and India together represent nearly 2 billion people and a gross domestic product (GDP) of more than 6 trillion USD.
By aligning the bloc’s priorities with India’s ambitious growth agenda, the two sides can unlock new areas of prosperity that benefit not only the two regions but the wider global economy as well, he opined.
Gobalakrishnan, who is also co-chairman of the ASEAN – India Business Council (AIBC), pointed to India’s transformation into the world’s fifth-largest economy, with the potential to soon become the third largest. He said this shift opens new prospects for collaboration in the digital economy, renewable energy, logistics, and SME development.
For his part, India’s Minister of State for Commerce and Industry and Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada urged deeper cooperation in electronics, pharmaceuticals, agriproducts, and health care.
He also highlighted new initiatives such as the Malaysia – India Digital Council and the India – Malaysia Startup Alliance, aimed at boosting innovation and entrepreneurship.
Earlier, AIBC senior exco member and ASEAN – India Economic Council Chairman Datuk Ramesh Kodammal said bilateral trade had already surpassed 123 billion USD during 2024–2025. However, there is still vast untapped potential in manufacturing, health care, renewable energy and MSME collaboration.
He called on the two sides to move beyond dialogue and create actionable pathways that deliver tangible gains./.
ASEAN economic ministers stress commitment to free, fair trade
Aside from pledging to sustain free and fair multilateral trade, the ministers also expressed the determination to constructively cooperate with all external partners to resolve legitimate concerns.
