Will make RCEP beneficial to all participants: MEA official

India would ensure that the proposed free trade agreement RCEP is "beneficial, equitable and balanced" for all participating countries, a senior Ministry of External Affairs official said here Thursday.

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) bloc comprises 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members. The government is presently negotiating the free trade agreement with the participating countries.

"I can assure you that the progress has been very good. We are, of course, determined to ensure that we get a RCEP which is balanced, equitable and beneficial to all the participating countries," Anurag Bhushan, Joint Secretary (Asean- ML), Ministry of External Affairs said at a seminar here.

The RCEP bloc comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Laos and Vietnam and their six free trade agreement partners - India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

The participating countries are currently negotiating the agreement. There were multiple rounds of negotiations at the official and Commerce Ministers' level, he said.

While speaking on the Indo-ASEAN partnerships and relations, Bhushan said connectivity remained the overarching issue in its relationship with the regional bloc.

India is also looking to enhance air and maritime connectivity with ASEAN, he said.