| Summary/Abstract |
In the East Asia Summit meeting concluded in early November 2019 in Bangkok where the issue of concluding the much-hyped Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement found centre stage, India decided to opt out, saying its key concerns were not addressed. Making a forceful argument in his address at the RCEP summit, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi remarked: “The present form of the RCEP Agreement does not fully reflect the basic spirit and the agreed guiding principles of RCEP”. Elaborating his argument further, he said: “It also does not address satisfactorily India’s outstanding issues and concerns. In such a situation, it is not possible for India to join RCEP Agreement.” Let me explain.
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