Indian PM Narendra Modi arrives in Thailand for Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership

He will co-chair the 16th ASEAN-India Summit on Sunday.

"Reached Thailand to take part in the ASEAN related Summits, including the India-ASEAN Summit and other programmes. I look forward to interacting with world leaders as well as Thailand’s dynamic Indian community during this visit," the Prime Minister tweeted after arrival here.

In a missive in the micro blogging site, MEA spokesman Raveesh Kumar wrote, "India's engagement with the region is based on the solid foundation of historical linkages and shared history and culture."

"At the RCEP Summit, we will take stock of the progress in RCEP negotiations. We will consider all issues including whether India’s concerns and interests in trade in goods, services, and investments are being fully accommodated, during this Summit," Modi has said in a pre-departure statement.

In an interview to 'Bangkok Post, Prime Minister said that a 'mutually beneficial' RCEP in which all sides gain reasonably will be in the interests of India and of all partners in the negotiation.

"We have put forward reasonable proposals in a clear manner and are engaged in negotiations with sincerity," Modi said adding, "We would like to see commensurate levels of ambition on services from many of our partners, even as we are ready to address their sensitivities".

The Prime Minister will address the Indian community at the National Indoor Stadium here in the evening.

The leaders' meeting on RCEP will be held on Monday.

Vijay Thakur Singh, Secretary East in the Ministry of External Affairs, has said there are some critical issues on the RCEP negotiations.

"India remains engaged to find resolutions of these issues," she has said in Delhi on Thursday.

"There are some critical issues still outstanding and efforts are being made to resolve them to provide a fair and a transparent trading environment," she has said.

Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday met Chinese Vice-minister of Commerce Wang Shouwen and discussed bringing a trade balance between the two nations while curbing market-distorting trade practices. 

Image: Raveesh Kumar Twitter page