INDIAN Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, will not attend a scheduled ministerial meeting in Beijing, hampering China's desire to seal a free trade deal, reports Hong Kong's South China Morning Post.
The absence of Mr Goyal could cast a shadow over the fate of the proposed agreement, which would encompass around one-third of the world's economy and almost half of its population.
Beijing will host a meeting to discuss the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and India will be represented by Commerce Secretary Anup Wadhawan.
The RCEP is made up of 10 countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) as well as Australia, Japan, China, India, New Zealand and South Korea.
WORLD SHIPPING
The absence of Mr Goyal could cast a shadow over the fate of the proposed agreement, which would encompass around one-third of the world's economy and almost half of its population.
Beijing will host a meeting to discuss the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and India will be represented by Commerce Secretary Anup Wadhawan.
The RCEP is made up of 10 countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) as well as Australia, Japan, China, India, New Zealand and South Korea.
WORLD SHIPPING