Piyush Goyal counters Sonia: India joined RCEP negotiations in UPA era

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday countered Congress President Sonia Gandhi's remarks on proposed mega free tre agreement RCEP, saying it was during UPA regime when India joined negotiations for this pact.  In a series of tweets, minister said that Sonia Gandhi has suddenly woken up to RCEP and FTAs. He asked where she was when FTA with ASEAN was signed in 2010 and when FTA was signed between 2010-2011 with South Korea, Malaysia and Japan. He questioned her about UPA government's decision to open 74% of its market to ASEAN countries when richer countries like Indonesia opened only 50% for India, 

Re Piyush Goyal's tweets below:

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Gandhi on Saturday launched a blistering attack on government on state of ecomy, saying signing RCEP agreement will result in "untold hardship" for farmers, shopkeepers and small enterprises. "As ecomic decisions have t damd ecomy eugh, it is w rey to deal a body blow to it by signing Regional Comprehensive Ecomic Partnership Agreement (RCEP) - regional free tre agreement of 16 Asian countries," Gandhi said. Continuing his attack on Gandhi, Goyal tweeted, "So where was she - When tre deficit with RCEP nations increased from $7 Billion in 2004 to $78 Billion in 2014? When her Govt forced India to join RCEP negotiations with China in 2011-12." On Prime Minister expressing commitment "to a comprehensive and balanced outcome" from RCEP negotiations, minister said, PM @narendramodi ji has highlighted that RCEP must be a win-win We too would like a win-win outcome. We believe that for this, dressing our concerns over unsustainable tre deficits is important.

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RCEP is a tre pact being negotiated amongst 16 countries. Talks are going in Bangkok to iron out differences. commerce minister was also re for meeting of RCEP tre ministers.  tre ministers meeting is precursor to RCEP leers' summit, scheduled on vember 4 in Bangkok, which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.  exchange of words on agreement came at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Bangkok to attend RCEP Summit. 

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(With PTI inputs)