The rumoured ‘dissent’ within the ranks of India’s grand old party, Indian National Congress, is appearing to become more and more public with each passing day. Even amid blame-games and differences of opinions among the higher-ups, senior Congress leader Anand Sharma recently called into question India’s stance regarding RCEP, the recent key trade deal in the Asia-Pacific, thereby deviating from his party’s official stance over the issue. Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma had recently described India’s decision of not joining the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) as “unfortunate and ill-advised”, asserting that it was in the country’s strategic and economic interests to be a part of the process of Asia-Pacific integration.

His remarks assumed significance and stark contrast as last year after India had decided not to join the RCEP, the Congress had claimed victory, saying its forceful opposition ensured that the BJP government backs out from bartering the interests of farmers, dairy producers, fishermen, and small and medium businessmen.

Commenting on the RCEP trade deal, Congress leader Anand Sharma had termed India’s decision of staying away from the deal as ‘unfortunate and ill-advised’. He stated that the deal would have cemented India’s strategic and economic interests in the Asia-Pacific integration. He further added that India could have been a part of the RCEP by ensuring safeguards in order to protect the country’s interests. Sharma has termed the decision as a ‘backward leap’.

The External Affairs Ministry had iterated that India decided not to join RCEP because of unresolved issues and believes that under the current circumstances, it would not be proper to join the RCEP. India is concerned that the elimination of tariffs would open its markets to a flood of imports that could harm local producers. But other nations have said that the door has remained open for India’s participation in the RCEP, influenced by China. The RCEP was first proposed in 2012 and loops in 10 ASEAN economies- Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia- along with China, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, and Australia.

It is to be noted that Congress was one of the first detractors of the RCEP, which is reportedly being seen as a “huge coup by China” to expand the country’s influence in the Asia-Pacific. The party had said that India joining the deal would be “bartering the interests of farmers, dairy producers, fishermen, small and medium businesses at the altar of political expediency.”

A section of domestic industries had also raised serious concerns over the RCEP deal over tariff-related issues but with India deciding not to join the RCEP, the Congress also had, earlier, prior to Sharma’s comments, claimed victory saying that its forceful opposition ensured that the BJP government backs out from the deal.

The Eleventh RCEP Inter-sessional Ministerial Meeting was held in the form of a video conference on October 14, 2020. Preparatory RCEP Ministerial Meeting was held in the form of a video conference on November 11, 2020. The RCEP was signed on November 15, 2020, in an unusual ceremony that saw the 15 member countries participate by video link due to the Covid19. The 15 current member countries in RCEP account for about 30% of the world’s population (2.2 billion people) and 30% of global GDP ($26.2 trillion) as of 2020, making it the biggest trade bloc in history.

The author is a student member of Amity Centre of Happiness