Where does India stand in Asia? Has its position changed after its rejection of the Regional Comprehensive Economic partnership (RCEP), which has been on Asean’s agenda since 2012? India’s absence from the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference (APEC) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) rules it out from influencing the blocs that will define Asia’s economic future. To the dismay of India’s friends, including Japan, that absence also leaves the field open for China to dominate the RCEP and to wield economic power over Asia.
India’s “no” to RCEP reflects one of the many opportunities it has missed to
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