India’s move on RCEP ill-advised: Former trade minister Anand Sharma

New Delhi: A day after India decided not to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the Congress leadership has showcased the in-house dichotomy in standing by the policy pursuit the party did in favour of RCEP while heading the UPA government, led by Manmohan Singh with Sonia Gandhi as UPA chairperson, and the disengagement from that path the party did while in Opposition over domestic political calculations.

On Tuesday, Anand Sharma, the former trade minister who actively persuaded, on behalf of the UPA regime, the RCEP agenda with ASEAN and big powers, lamented the Modi government’s move. “India’s decision of not joining RCEP is unfortunate and ill-advised. It is in India’s strategic and economic interests to be a part of the process of Asia- Pacific integration. Withdrawal has negated years of persuasive negotiations for India to be accepted as part of RCEP. We could have negotiated safeguards to protect our interests. Keeping out of the RCEP is a backward leap”, Sharma tweeted.




However, his colleague Jairam Ramesh supported the move, reflecting the Congress’ recently revised stand in opposition. “On Oct 21, 2019 I had described India’s imminent membership of RCEP as 3rd jhatka for the economy after demonetisation & botched GST. A year later the position @INCIndia took then in demanding that the PM not drag India into an unfair RCEP, as was being planned, stands vindicated,” he tweeted.