NITI Ayog CEO pitched for India’s membership in RCEP and CPTPP | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
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NITI Ayog CEO pitched for India’s membership in RCEP and CPTPP

Posted 13 Nov 2024

Updated 22 Nov 2024

2 min read

He highlighted India to be among few countries not a part of large trade agreements like Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)

  • These agreements aim to remove trade barriers and promote reciprocal investment by tariff facilitation and harmonizing environmental and labor protection standards.

Benefits of Joining to India

  • Support Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME): They constitute 40% of India's exports. 
  • Integrate into Global Supply Chain: Constituting 70% of the World’s trade 
  • Harness China plus one opportunity: High tariffs prevent diversification of supply chains away from China.
  • Increase India’s productive capacity: Facilitate easy import creating job prospects; enhance profits and capacity utilization of the private sector, etc.  
  • Political Advantage: Opportunity to shape emerging trade architecture like E-commerce. 

Concerns for India

  • Cheap Imports: Elimination of tariffs may lead to greater rise in imports worsening trade deficits. 
  • Impact on Indian Enterprises: Stricter rules like labor conditions and environmental protection impact local and less competitive Indian industries. 
  • Domestic considerations: Opposition from Indian dairy sector on joining RCEP fearing strict competition from industrialized countries 

Way Forward

  • Revisiting past agreements: Data-driven approach to navigate complex global economic landscapes. 
  • Prioritize long-term economic goals: In terms of self-reliance, job creation, and strategic autonomy.

 

About RCEP 

  • Comprises 10 ASEAN members (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Laos and Vietnam) and their 5 free trade agreement partners- China, Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand. 
    • India pulled out of negotiations in 2019. 

About CPTPP

  • Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between 11 nations (Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Peru, Mexico, and New Zealand)
  • Tags :
  • NITI Aayog
  • RCEP
  • CPTPP
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