India’s Exit from the RCEP: Why and What’s Next

Authored by - Vidhi Rupal

Cover Photo Attribution - Prime Minister's Office (GODL-India)

This paper intends to provide an overview of the RCEP trade deal and look at India’s trade with ASEAN countries to understand how its performance under ASEAN influenced its participation in the RCEP negotiations. The various factors that may have influenced India’s decision to not participate in the RCEP deal are explored. The paper especially highlights the trade relations with ASEAN due to its massive trade deficit which was the major contributing factor for India’s withdrawal from the deal. It also looks at the TPP as a possible alternative, and provides a certain set of recommendations that could be beneficial for India’s international trade scenario.

Read the paper here.