<h1>Trade Ministers Push for Balanced RCEP Agreement in Hanoi, Emphasizing Goods, Services, and Investment Amid Protectionist Trends.</h1> The 3rd RCEP Inter-sessional Ministerial Meeting took place on May 21-22, 2017, in Hanoi, with participation from trade ministers of 16 countries, including India, led by its Commerce and Industry Minister. The meeting focused on advancing negotiations for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, a major free trade agreement involving ASEAN countries and partners like Australia, China, India, Japan, Korea, and New Zealand. Discussions emphasized the need for a balanced agreement covering goods, services, and investment, while addressing protectionist trends. India highlighted the importance of services, including professional mobility, and stressed the need for comprehensive investor-state dispute settlement mechanisms. Ministers aimed for progress at the upcoming Hyderabad round in July 2017.