Rcep Free Trade Agreement

Fifteen Asia-Pacific countries on Sunday signed the world's biggest free trade deal, seen as a huge coup for China in extending its influence.

Fifteen Asia-Pacific nations including China aim to clinch the world's largest free-trade agreement this weekend, the culmination of Beijing's decade-long quest for greater economic integration with a region that encompasses nearly a third of the global gross domestic product.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "successful" visits to several countries as well as his participation in events such as the UN General Assembly and BRICS meetings, and India's refusal to join the regional free trade agreement RCEP in "national interest" were highlighted at the BJP parliamentary party meeting today.

The UPA's decision to engage with Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP nations and the Congress's appeal to the Modi government to not sign the trade deal were both correct as the difference between 2012 and 2019 is the "parlous" state of the economy, senior party leader P Chidambaram said on Thursday.

India should hold talks with the European Union for a free trade agreement, the government said on Tuesday, a day after it refused to join a China-backed regional trade pact for fear of a flood of cheap Chinese imports.

Trade Minister Piyush Goyal said sectors such as gems, textiles and agriculture have pushed for a trade pact with the EU.

China said today that it will follow the principle of "mutual understanding and accommodation" to resolve the outstanding issues raised by India for not joining the Beijing-backed mega Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

The RCEP agreement was against India's economic interest and national priorities, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Monday as the country decided not to join the China-backed mega free trade deal.

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday hit out at Congress president Sonia Gandhi after she cautioned against the signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, asking her why she did not speak up when India joined negotiations for this pact in 2011-12 during the UPA regime.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday launched a blistering attack on the government on the state of economy, saying signing the RCEP agreement will result in "untold hardship" for farmers, shopkeepers and small enterprises.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra claimed on Saturday that if India signs the RCEP pact it will prove to be "farmers'' destruction agreement" as in times of economic slowdown, Indian markets should provide maximum help to domestic farmers.

As he left for his visit to Bangkok, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today that India will consider whether its concerns and interests in trade in goods, services, and investments are being fully accommodated when he attends the meeting of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP in Thailand.

The Congress today decided to oppose the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement that India is likely to sign in Bangkok next month, saying it will prove to be suicidal as the time is not right for the pact which will increase imports from China.

Fifteen Asia-Pacific countries on Sunday signed the world's biggest free trade deal, seen as a huge coup for China in extending its influence.

Fifteen Asia-Pacific nations including China aim to clinch the world's largest free-trade agreement this weekend, the culmination of Beijing's decade-long quest for greater economic integration with a region that encompasses nearly a third of the global gross domestic product.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "successful" visits to several countries as well as his participation in events such as the UN General Assembly and BRICS meetings, and India's refusal to join the regional free trade agreement RCEP in "national interest" were highlighted at the BJP parliamentary party meeting today.

The UPA's decision to engage with Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP nations and the Congress's appeal to the Modi government to not sign the trade deal were both correct as the difference between 2012 and 2019 is the "parlous" state of the economy, senior party leader P Chidambaram said on Thursday.

India should hold talks with the European Union for a free trade agreement, the government said on Tuesday, a day after it refused to join a China-backed regional trade pact for fear of a flood of cheap Chinese imports.

Trade Minister Piyush Goyal said sectors such as gems, textiles and agriculture have pushed for a trade pact with the EU.

China said today that it will follow the principle of "mutual understanding and accommodation" to resolve the outstanding issues raised by India for not joining the Beijing-backed mega Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

The RCEP agreement was against India's economic interest and national priorities, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Monday as the country decided not to join the China-backed mega free trade deal.

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday hit out at Congress president Sonia Gandhi after she cautioned against the signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, asking her why she did not speak up when India joined negotiations for this pact in 2011-12 during the UPA regime.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday launched a blistering attack on the government on the state of economy, saying signing the RCEP agreement will result in "untold hardship" for farmers, shopkeepers and small enterprises.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra claimed on Saturday that if India signs the RCEP pact it will prove to be "farmers'' destruction agreement" as in times of economic slowdown, Indian markets should provide maximum help to domestic farmers.

As he left for his visit to Bangkok, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today that India will consider whether its concerns and interests in trade in goods, services, and investments are being fully accommodated when he attends the meeting of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP in Thailand.

The Congress today decided to oppose the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement that India is likely to sign in Bangkok next month, saying it will prove to be suicidal as the time is not right for the pact which will increase imports from China.