WT/COMTD/RTA9/M/1  
 
7 February  2020 
(20-1007) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Trade and Development  
Tenth Dedicated Session on Regional Trade Agreements    
 
 FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT FOR ESTABLISHING A F REE TRADE AREA BETWE EN INDIA 
AND THAILAND (GOODS)  
NOTE ON THE MEETING OF 22 NOVEMBER 2019  
Chairman: H.E. Mr. Chad Blackman (Barbados)  
1.  The Tenth  Dedicated Session o n Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) of the Committee on Trade 
and Development (CTD)  was convened in document  WTO/AIR/COMTD/RTA/5/Rev.1 of 12 November 
2019. Under item B (III) of the agenda , the Committee considered the Framework Agreement for 
establishing a Free Trade Area between Ind ia and Thailand (Goods)  (WT/COMTD/RTA9/N/1, 
WT/COMTD/RTA9/1, WT/COMTD/RTA9/2).  The present document contains the minutes relating to 
the consideration of this agreement.1 
2.  The Chairman  said that the Framework Agreement for establishing a Free Trade Area between 
India and Thailand was notified under paragraph 4(a) of the Enabling Clause on 18  June 2017. The 
notification was originally circulated on 22 June 2017 in document WT/COMTD/N/54 . It was then re -
circulated on 12 September 2019 in document WT/COMTD/RTA9/N/1, in accordance with the new 
symbols for notifications and subsequent documentation relating to RTAs, which was  agreed to by 
the CTD at its 108th Session on 5 April  2019. The factual presentation – contained in document 
WT/COMTD/RTA9/1 dated 13 September 2019 - had been prepared by the Secretariat on its own 
responsibility, and in full consultation with the parties. Written questions from the Dominican 
Republic, as well as the repl ies from the parties, had been circulated in document 
WT/COMTD/RTA9/2.  
3.  The representative of India said that the Framework Agreement for establishing a Free Trade 
Area between India and Thailand sought to create favourable conditions for greater economic 
cooperation, and promot ing fair competition. Under th e agreement, the parties had agreed to 
strengthen their cooperation in a number of areas, including with regard to trade facilitation , mutual 
recognition arrangement s, the removal of non -tariff barriers, conformity assessment s, accreditation 
process es, trade finance, and business visas. Under the Early Harvest Scheme of th e agreement, 
India had liberalized tariffs on 291 tariff lines, while Thailand had liberalized tariffs on 82 tariff lines. 
India's imports from Thailand had grown from US D 1.5 billion in 2006 to US D 9.4 billion in 2018 , 
while India's exports to Thailand had increased from US D 1.3 billion in 2006 to US D 4.3 billion in 
2018.  
4.  The representative of Thailand  said that the Framework Ag reement for establishing a Free Trade 
Area between India and Thailand laid the foundation s for further strengthening bilateral ties and 
economic cooperation. The agreement covered a wide range of products, and promoted cross -border 
trade between the two countries. Thailand highly valued th e agreement, as it was the first bilateral 
free trade agreement (FTA) concluded with a South Asian country. Under the Early Harvest Scheme 
of the agreement , liberalization had taken place on 82 items at the six-digit lev el of the Harmonized 
System. Bilateral  trade under the Early Harvest Scheme had steadily expanded over the past three 
years . Between 2017 and 2018 , trade under th e scheme  had increased by 18%, represent ing 11% 
of total trade between the two countries. He noted that India was one of Thailand's major trading 
 
1 The general minutes of the CTD's Tenth Dedicated Session on RTAs are contained in document 
WT/COMTD/RTA/M/10.  WT/COMTD/RTA9/M/1  
 
- 2 - 
 
  partners, and  that the India -Thailand agreement had helped to promote economic growth and 
improve living standards in both countries . 
5.  The representative of the United States  expressed appreciation to the parties for their 
participation in the transparency exercise, and for providing the necessary data to the Secretariat 
for the preparation of the factual presentation.  
6.  The representative of the European Union  indicated that she also wish ed to thank the parties for 
providing the necessary information and data to participate in the transparency exercise .  
7.  The Chairman  said that oral discussion of the Framework Agreement for establishing a Free Trade 
Area between India and Thailand could be concluded in accordance with paragraph 11 of the 
Transparency Mechanism for RTAs  (RTA TM ). Follow -up questions by Members would need to be 
submitted in writing to the Secretariat within one week, by 29 November 2019. The parties would 
then be given two wee ks to submit written replies, by no later than 13 December 2019. In 
accordance with paragraph 13 of the RTA TM, all written submissions as well as the minutes of the 
present meeting would be circulated promptly in all WTO official languages, and would be m ade 
available on the WTO website . 
8.  The Committee took note  of all interventions . 
__________