Indonesia-led Asean Troika meets Piyush Goyal

NEW DELHI: The Asean troika led by Indonesia had a “fruitful” and “very frank” dialogue with India on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and efforts are on to address Delhi’s concerns ahead of a meeting on the proposed trade agreement in China later this month, Indonesian trade minister Enggartiasto Lukita has told ET.

“Efforts are ongoing to substantially conclude RCEP by end of 2019,” Lukita said after meeting commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal here on Tuesday. “We had very good and very fruitful meeting with the Indian commerce minister.

The dialogue was frank, open and positive. We will work towards addressing India’s concerns.” Indonesia is the RCEP coordinator and leads the troika that also comprises Thailand’s trade minister and the Asean secretary general.


“It is not India alone that has concerns over elements of RCEP. Indonesia also has some concerns, which we are trying to address,” Lukita pointed out while stating that he remains hopeful that India’s interests can be safeguarded in RCEP. “This meeting helped in developing better understanding of India’s concerns,” the minister noted.

RCEP is a proposed regional economic integration agreement among the 10 Asean countries and its six free-trade agreement partners—Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China, South Korea and India.