Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in U.S. President Joseph Biden’s unveiling of the “Indo-Pacific Economic Framework” (IPEF) in Tokyo on Monday, a US initiative for trade partnerships in the region, sources confirmed. Mr. Modi’s attendance of the event is a significant step towards building economic ties amongst Quad countries in the Indo-Pacific, although officials were hesitant to bill the IPEF as a counter the 15-nation Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the 17-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) that China is a member of.
Briefing the media ahead of the event, U.S. NSA Jake Sullivan said that the IPEF would have a “very wide-ranging membership”, adding, significantly, that the programme is “designed to put workers at the center — American workers,” with a focus on the digital economy, clean energy transition, infrastructure and resilient supply chains.
India has not taken a decision on joining the framework, but is keen to understand the “contours” of the American plan said an official, confirming that Indian delegates would join the launch of negotiations expected on Monday as well. On Saturday, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said that “discussions and the conversations are still going on” on the IPEF draft.
