After 22 negotiation rounds and several missed deadlines, the 10 ASEAN countries and their 6 free trade partners will meet again in July 2018 to try and move forward the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.

While India’s hard stance on certain issues like tariff reduction has been a big factor in slowing down the past negotiations, it is unlikely that it will withdraw from the pact, and reject new trade rules that will be detrimental to its people, including giving up its role as Asia’s pharmacy of affordable, generic life-saving drugs.