Congress Slams 'China’s B-Team' Label for ASEAN Nations as Insulting and Baseless

The Congress party has strongly criticized Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal for his remarks regarding the India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), which were signed during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. The controversy arose after Goyal, while speaking at the India Global Forum (IGF) session in London, described the agreements as “silly” and referred to ASEAN member countries as the “B team of China.” His remarks have sparked significant political backlash, particularly from the Congress party, which has termed the statements “irresponsible and insulting.”

During his address at the IGF, Goyal suggested that the India-ASEAN FTA, signed around 15 years ago, was flawed as it opened India’s markets to competing economies. He claimed that many of the ASEAN countries had now effectively become economic extensions of China, and thus, such agreements indirectly facilitated Chinese goods entering India. “So effectively and indirectly, I have opened up my market for goods that find their way from China into India,” Goyal remarked, implying that the trade agreement had undermined India’s economic interests.

Congress leader and former Union Commerce Minister Anand Sharma responded sharply to these comments. In a public statement, Sharma condemned Goyal’s choice of words and the implications of his statements. He said that referring to the ASEAN trade agreement as “silly” and branding ASEAN nations as “China’s B team” was both disrespectful and diplomatically inappropriate. He emphasized that India’s relations with ASEAN have been cultivated over more than three decades and are based on a broad, multifaceted partnership that is economically beneficial and strategically important to both sides.

Sharma further highlighted the historical context of India’s engagement with ASEAN, noting that these ties are a core element of India’s “Look East” policy, which was designed to expand India’s diplomatic and economic influence in Southeast Asia. He stated that ASEAN is a region of significant geostrategic importance, known for its economic vitality, and it deserves respectful and thoughtful engagement from India.

Criticizing the current approach of the Commerce Ministry, Sharma argued that rather than alienating important trade partners with such rhetoric, the Minister should be focusing on enhancing trade relations. He also pointed out the irony in Goyal’s remarks, noting that while the Minister insults ASEAN nations, the government seems to be overly accommodating in negotiating a trade agreement with the United States, even on terms that may not be favorable to India.

The controversy underscores the ongoing political debate over India’s trade policies and its global economic strategy. The Congress party’s strong reaction reflects concerns that such diplomatic missteps could harm India’s long-term partnerships, especially with strategically significant regions like Southeast Asia. The party called for a more balanced, respectful, and pragmatic approach to international trade and diplomacy, in contrast to what it perceives as the current government’s unilateral and often abrasive posture.