Trade ministers instructed negotiators to exert utmost efforts for early conclusion of RCEP talks

Trade ministers of 16 nations including India and Japan have instructed their negotiators to “exert utmost efforts” for early conclusion of the talks for the proposed mega trade deal Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
A joint statement issued after the conclusion of the two-day RCEP ministerial meeting in Singapore yesterday said the progress of the negotiations was discussed during the 6th RCEP Meeting.
The statement said the ministers adopted a package of year-end deliverables developed by the trade negotiating committee and welcomed the plans to achieve the targets set out in the package.
The statement also said that the ministers agreed to keep the lines of communication open to provide prompt guidance and support to the negotiations, including through intensified domestic consultations, so as to achieve the targets set out in the package.
Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu participated in the meeting.