Context: India’s act of pulling out from the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade agreement cannot be considered as a superior act of self-reliance.
An overview of India’s reluctance in joining trade deals:
Advantages of joining the RCEP:
Adverse consequences of not joining RCEP: An Economic Self-Harm
Conclusion: Self-reliance is not a superior alternative to open trade and points the economy as well as policy in the wrong direction.