S2E61: Strategic calculations behind India's trade deals flurry

India's new trade pacts with the EU and US, and the big question: Will Delhi revisit its decision to abandon RCEP? Synopsis: The Straits Times’ senior columnist Ravi Velloor distils 45 years of experience covering the Asian continent, with expert guests. A flurry of trade agreements announced by India – first, a “mother of all trade deals” FTA with the European Union, and days later, a framework deal with the US that saw Washington slashing its punitive tariffs on Indian exports to levels just below that of Vietnam and Malaysia, involves wider strategic calculations on every side. In this wide-ranging conversation, host Ravi Velloor speaks with Ambassador Jawed Ashraf, Chairman of India Trade Promotion Organisation and former foreign policy aide to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Having served as envoy to Singapore and France, he weighs in on the thinking behind the deals, India’s newfound confidence to sign on to market-opening agreements, and the chances of India revisiting its decision to abandon the Asean-backed RCEP, or Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. They both discuss India’s trade imperatives, the tighter embrace by India of the European Union which is itself adjusting to a multipolar world, and how quality trade agreements help set the stage for foreign direct investment flows and stronger strategic ties. They also chat about the calibrated opening that India is making with China, even as it is not yet ready to revisit entering RCEP. Highlights (click/tap above) 1:08 India withdrawal from RCEP and focus on bilateral relations 5:15 A greater alignment of trade with geopolitics 8:46 Roots of India’s “self-confidence” to sign trade deals 11:07 What the trade deals mean for ordinary Indians 14:11 EU looks to India, Taiwan in the AI age 18:14 EU-India, and a message to the US 20:53 Did Trump negotiate with a “gun to India’s head”? 24:18 Why stress on defence in US-India trade deal 27:01 RCEP: A calibrated opening is ongoing with China Read Ravi's columns: https://str.sg/3xRP Follow Ravi on X: https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor Sign up for ST’s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/sfpz  Host: Ravi Velloor ([email protected]) Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani Executive producer: Ernest Luis Follow Asian Insider Podcast on Fridays here: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7  Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8  Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX Feedback to: [email protected] SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #STAsianInsiderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.