India and the Trans-Pacific Partnership: A Wake-up Call at the rcep
India is at a crossroads. To develop its industrial capacity and boost exports, the country needs to sign new free trade agreements. The announcement of a trade agreement as part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (tpp) is putting pressure on India to speed up its own negotiations with trade partners. East Asia is an ideal target for India, if a return to the Look East policy is any indication. However, India has to deal with China, a central player in trade negotiations such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (rcep). This article examines Indian reactions to the tpp and highlights the consequences of such an agreement for India.