Fri Jun 20 23:00:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the provided text, written from an Indian perspective and suitable for a publication like *The Hindu*:
**Headline: Congress Leader Sharma Slams Goyal’s “Insulting” Remarks on India-ASEAN Trade**
**New Delhi, June 20, 2025:** A political storm is brewing after Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s comments regarding India’s trade agreements with ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). Goyal, speaking at a forum in London, reportedly referred to some ASEAN nations as the “B team of China,” suggesting that the agreements were a mistake that opened India’s market to Chinese goods indirectly.
Former Commerce Minister and veteran Congress leader Anand Sharma has vehemently denounced Goyal’s statements, calling them “irresponsible and insulting.” Sharma argued that Goyal’s remarks undermine decades of carefully cultivated strategic partnerships with the ASEAN region, a cornerstone of India’s “Look East” policy.
“Piyush Goyal’s statement belittling India ASEAN Trade Agreements is unwarranted, ill advised and unfortunate,” Sharma stated. “India and ASEAN group of countries are for over three decades engaged in a multi-faceted relationship which is mutually rewarding and important.”
Sharma emphasized the economic and geopolitical importance of the ASEAN relationship, highlighting that it’s India’s fourth largest trading partner, accounting for over 11% of India’s total global trade, with bilateral trade at $120 billion USD. He also noted that ASEAN countries contribute significantly to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows into India.
Sharma further defended the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) with ASEAN and trade agreements with countries like Japan and South Korea. He stated that these agreements were meticulously negotiated to promote investments and trade in goods and services, keeping India’s interests at the forefront.
“Piyush Goyal needs to be reminded of the fundamental rule of trade: ‘No country can export what it does not produce nor imports what it does not need’,” Sharma asserted, adding that essential imports such as iron ore, coal, palm oil, and petroleum products are sourced from ASEAN nations.
Concluding his sharp rebuke, Sharma criticized Goyal for prioritizing a “suboptimal trade agreement with the USA” while simultaneously damaging relations with crucial regional partners. He emphasized the importance of strengthening trade relations through partnerships, rather than resorting to “exclusion and isolation.” Sharma’s comments come amidst ongoing discussions regarding India’s trade policy and its role in the global economy.
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