On the Record: India and APEC
Through its initiative India and APEC: Charting a Path to Membership, the Asia Society Policy Institute and the Confederation of Indian Industry are seeking to generate support for India’s prospective APEC membership with key constituencies in India and among APEC members. In the op-eds and media coverage below, ASPI President Kevin Rudd, initiative co-chairs Ajay Banga (President and CEO, MasterCard) and Shyam Saran (Chairman, Research and Information System for Developing Countries), and other members of the initiative task force discuss the case for India’s membership in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC), the related benefits and obstacles, and the task force’s activities.
Op-Eds
July 8, 2015 — In this op-ed, Kevin Rudd and Ajay Banga write, “This is the right time for India to pursue inclusion in APEC,” noting the importance for India of achieving greater economic integration in the Asia-Pacific and the opportunity afforded by the end of APEC’s moratorium on new members.
Nov 21, 2015 — In this op-ed, Kevin Rudd and Sunil Kant Munjal write that India was missing at the 2015 APEC leaders meeting. They argue that without India "Apec would not only remain incomplete but also unable to reinvent itself once the recently completed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement becomes a reality."
Media Coverage
On September 2, 2015, ASPI and the Confederation of Indian Industry held a discussion in Delhi about their initiative to advance India’s candidacy for APEC membership. Coverage of the event, which featured ASPI President Kevin Rudd and members of the initiative task force, is summarized below.
September 7, 2015 — The Times of India covers a discussion among ASPI President Kevin Rudd, initiative co-chair Shyam Saran, and task force member Sung-Hwan Kim, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Korea, about India’s candidacy to join APEC.
September 3, 2015 — The Hindu reports comments by ASPI President Kevin Rudd, Shyam Saran, and Sung-Hwan Kim, on the potential benefits of India’s joining APEC.
September 3, 2015 — Kevin Rudd discusses India’s chances for entry into APEC membership and the benefits that APEC accession would have for India and for other APEC economies in an interview with The Economic Times.
September 3, 2015 — In an interview, Kevin Rudd discusses how policy changes by the Indian government have affected India’s prospects of gaining admission to APEC.
September 3, 2015 — Business Standard covers statements by Kevin Rudd, Shyam Saran, and Sung-Hwan Kim on how APEC membership would allow India to achieve greater economic integration with the wider Asia-Pacific region.
September 3, 2015 — The Pioneer carries a Press Trust of India story on Kevin Rudd’s expectation that APEC will decide on India’s membership bid by the November 2016 APEC summit in Lima, Peru. The story also ran in other Indian news outlets.
September 3, 2015 — The Australian covers remarks by Kevin Rudd about India’s prospective membership in APEC and efforts by the ASPI task force to advance India’s candidacy to join APEC.