India faces severe embarrassment at the hands of 10 countries

NEW DELHI (Monitoring Desk) By leaving India and signing free trade agreements with China and four other countries, India suffered discomfort at the hands of 10 members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). To avoid embarrassment over non-participation in the Regional Economic Cooperation Partnership Agreement (RECP), India said ASEAN should maintain its doors open for talks, according to the Kashmir Media Service. In a statement, however the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) denied the Indian resolution concerning the talks and further insulted it.

It is noteworthy that at the ASEAN Summit, Indian Foreign Minister SJ Shankar represented India. The forum is made up of six regional members and two non-regional powers, the United States and Russia, and policy-making is the focus of its work. Shankar warned of China’s possible expansionism a day before the signing of the FTA with 10 ASEAN countries, China and four other countries. The RCEP was signed by all regional countries except India on Sunday. The United States and Russia were not invited, however. Asia’s biggest free trade region and Japan’s first free trade deal with China will be established by the agreement.