-The Telegraph Without simultaneous steps to raise productivity, passive acceptance of lost competitiveness has shaped India's approach India’s last-minute withdrawal from the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement has elicited much commentary. That it happened after exciting positive signals from senior government functionaries amidst vociferous opposition by noted lobby groups surprised all. A sizeable segment, however, backs the retreat, noting India’s current economic situation and low competitiveness to describe it as economic and...

-Business Today RCEP trade deal: The group said that the Indian govt should not agree to the RCEP even in future as it will be a 'bad deal for democracy, for farmers, workers, will subvert our sovereign laws and compromise India's industrialisation potential'. Forum for Trade Justice, a pan-civil society network has welcomed the failure of the 16 negotiating countries to reach a consensus over the conclusion of the world's largest free...

-The Hindu Business Line It should resolve its structural issues and become globally competitive before getting into such arrangements The RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership), which has been under discussion since 2012 and has the potential to alter trade expressively from its pattern to global politics, is reaching a crucial stage. Shakespeare’s analogy — paraphrased — “to do, or not do”, could not have been more apt for India in the given...

-The Hindu Business Line It will deepen the ASEAN FTA impact Fast-paced moves are on to conclude the talks on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and seal an agreement. There have been noises of protest from the Congress party which was the chief architect of the India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and numerous other FTAs in the pipeline. Protests even from within the Sangh Parivar have not deterred the Modi government...

-The Hindu Business Line RCEP will jeopardise India’s seed industry With Brexit now a certainty, the days of liberal globalization are numbered. Open borders, FTAs and multilateral agreements are no longer in vogue. However, India seems inclined to ink the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), perhaps the world’s biggest free Trade Agreement. This seems an ill-advised step. India boosts of a vibrant seed sector with public institutions and a variety of private...