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Asia-Pacific leaders ink world's largest trade deal without India while China is accused of 'conquest'
Leaders of 15 Asia-Pacific nations have agreed to terms on the world's largest trade deal, pressing ahead with the pact even though India refused to join. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) was to be a deal with the 10 South-East Asian members of the ASEAN alliance, and Japan, China, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia and India. But in battling domestic concerns the RCEP would undermine an already-faltering economy, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held out on joining others at the East Asia Summit in agreeing to terms. With India in the deal, the RCEP would have covered 32 per cent of the ... (full story)