The Asian Tea Alliance (ATA), a union of five tea-growing and consuming countries, was launched in Guizhou in China.
Indian Tea Association, China Tea Marketing Association, Indonesian Tea Marketing Association, Sri Lanka Tea Board and Japan Tea Association are the members.
The alliance was formed with an aim to enhance global consumption of tea, while creating a sustainability agenda for the future of Asian tea.
India is the second largest producer of tea (after China).
India is the largest consumer of tea in the world.
Tamilnadu is the third largest tea cultivating state in India.