India Signs Agreements for Clean and Fair Economy in IPEF

September 23, 2024

India recently signed important agreements under the US-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF). These agreements aim to build a cleaner and fairer economy. They were formalized during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States and are designed to speed up clean energy projects and improve economic transparency between member countries.

Key Goals of the Agreements

The agreements focus on several important areas such as Developing and using clean energy technologies, Strengthening anti-corruption efforts, and Improving tax transparency among the countries involved.

Clean Economy Initiatives

The clean economy part of the IPEF is all about Securing energy and cutting down greenhouse gas emissions, Encouraging new ideas to reduce the use of fossil fuels. Promoting technical cooperation between the countries, helping them share knowledge and resources to achieve clean energy goals.

Fair Economy Agreements

The fair economy side of the agreements aims to create:

A transparent and predictable business environment where rules are clear and fair for everyone.
Better information sharing between countries to improve economic cooperation.
Stronger systems to help with asset recovery and to make it easier to investigate cross-border financial crimes.

Financial Support for IPEF Initiatives

To support these efforts, the IPEF includes:

The IPEF Catalytic Capital Fund, which helps encourage private companies to invest. This fund started with $33 million from member countries.
The PGI Investment Accelerator, which received $300 million from the US International Development Finance Corporation to help speed up investments in clean energy and other projects.

Concerns and Criticism

While the agreements have many positives, there are some concerns. Experts like Ajay Srivastava have raised issues such as:

The lack of transparency during the negotiations, making it difficult for some countries to fully understand the terms.
The non-derogation clause, which could limit India’s ability to change its own rules for important infrastructure projects.
The risk that international standards India adopts through IPEF may not always align with its national interests.

Strategic Importance of the IPEF

The IPEF involves 14 countries and focuses on four key areas Trade, Supply chain resilience, Clean economy, and Fair economy. India’s participation highlights its dedication to being part of a regional partnership that plays a big role in the global economy. The framework helps India work more closely with other countries, promoting stronger economic ties and cooperation.

About the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF)

The IPEF was launched in May 2022 and includes 14 countries, representing about 40% of the global economy. It focuses on areas like trade, clean energy, and digital technologies. Unlike traditional trade agreements, the IPEF allows countries to make flexible commitments, helping them cooperate on things like labor standards and environmental issues without strict trade rules. The U.S. also sees the IPEF as a way to counter China’s growing influence and to strengthen economic stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

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