RCEP: Boost for India on easier visa norms

RCEP: Boost for India on easier visa norms

Negotiations on easier visa norms

Context

• India’s push for easier norms on movement of professionals across borders for short-term work in 16 Asia-Pacific nations, including itself, under a proposed mega Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is learnt to have found favour with some ASEAN-bloc members.

Negotiations

• The proposed FTA, officially known as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), is being negotiated by these countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
• The RCEP technical level talks are currently being held in Hyderabad.
• A handful of ASEAN countries are also assumed to be supporting India’s proposal for an RCEP Travel Card to facilitate visa-free multiple short-term entry across the RCEP region for business and tourism purposes.
• Australia and New Zealand (who are RCEP members) are blocking the move.
• India carrying a vast pool of services professionals, including from IT/ITeS, sector, had been leading the talks on easing restrictions on temporary movement of professionals.
• Many RCEP member nations fears that it would lead to migration of professionals from India and loss of jobs for locals.
• India asserts that its demands on temporary movement of professionals and skilled workers should not be confused with permanent movement (or immigration).
• Indian information technology industry body Nasscom informed the RCEP trade negotiators that the Indian IT-ITeS sector had supported 4.54 lakh jobs in the RCEP region (excluding India).