India’s withdrawal from RCEP: neutralising national trade concerns

The new wave of nationalism has led to an increase in trade barriers, trade wars and break away from Mega-regionals of various economic powers in the world. In-line with the United States in TPP and the United Kingdom in the European Union, India has also withdrawn from RCEP, inter alia, to protect its domestic market from flooding of imports with no gains in services. With the on-going global recession, this protectionist behaviour of countries has intensified the global slow growth. The paper dwells into the reasons for India’s backout and concludes that it would lose its export potential and an opportunity to be part of value chains in the region. Concomitantly, other members of the grouping would also lose their export potential in the Indian market. Therefore, RCEP members should re-evaluate the grouping without India and India should consider a middle way approach to be a part of this Mega-regional.