With a November deadline approaching, why is India still uncertain about joining the grouping?

Trade ministers and negotiators of the 16 nations will have to present to their respective leaders which issue can or can’t be settled now so that appropriate announcement can be made at the leaders’ summit next month, according to the source.

No joint statement will be issued, as certain key issues are yet to be resolved, even after two days of intense negotiations on October 11 and 12, according to one of the sources.

Negotiations on the details of the RCEP have been on since 2013, and all participating countries aim to finalise and sign the deal by November.

Under the ominous shadow of the US-China trade war and global slowdown, there is urgency in concluding the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement.

Optimistic despite Malaysia's u-turn, Japan-South Korea spat

RCEP is a proposed mega trade pact between the 10 Asean members, India, Australia, China, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand. According to initial estimates, it accounts for 25% of global gross domestic product, 30%

The move is aimed at allaying the domestic industry’s fears that any free trade agreement with China through RCEP (Beijing is a member) will result in massive dumping of highly-subsidised items, mostly diverted due to the ongoing trade war.

The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is likely to become China's largest trading partner surpassing the EU via closer ties under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), experts said on Monday.

Joining the RCEP could be counter-productive given the existing inefficiencies of Indian producers. These need to be fixed first