Geopolitical Implications of India's RCEP Rejection on Bihar's Maize Exports

India’s RCEP Decision and Bihar’s Agricultural Trade

Key Context

• November 2019: India withdrew from RCEP negotiations
• Primary Concerns:
  • Rising trade deficits ($105B with FTA partners)
  • Flood of Chinese manufactured goods
  • Protection for dairy/agriculture sectors
  • Lack of services trade reciprocity

Impact on Bihar’s Maize Exports

Export Destinations Affected:
  - Vietnam (15% of Bihar's maize exports)
  - Indonesia (12%)
  - China (8%)
Potential Losses:
  - $47M annual export revenue at risk
  - 12,000 farmer households impacted

Government Response

Agricultural Support Measures

1. Agricultural Export Scheme
   • Transport Subsidy Program
   • Quality Certification Initiative
   • Export Market Development Fund

Future Pathways

Policy Recommendations

1. Trade Agreements:
   • Bilateral FTAs with Vietnam/Indonesia
2. Export Infrastructure:
   • Cold storage facilities
   • Testing laboratories
3. Capacity Building:
   • Farmer training on global standards
   • Post-harvest management programs

RCEP Re-Entry Considerations

• Safeguard mechanisms for agriculture
• Gradual tariff reduction schedule
• Services trade reciprocity

Visual Representation

Government Response Flow:

graph TD
A[RCEP Rejection] --> B[Agricultural Export Scheme]
B --> C[Transport Subsidy]
B --> D[Quality Certification]
B --> E[Export Market Development]

Major maize producing districts in Bihar affected by trade policy

Additional Data

Impact Statistics