New Delhi, Aug. 26 -- Relations between the US and India have soured in the past few months over several issues, particularly trade. This has started pushing India towards the east, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi set to visit Japan and later China, after a gap of seven years.

The timing of the visits coincides with the US's punitive additional tariff of 25%, set to kick in from Wednesday, over India's purchase of Russian oil. The potential tilt towards the East may also reflect in India's strategic shift on the trade front.

Last week, Mint reported that India is weighing its options to rejoin the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the eastern trade bloc it walked away from nearly six years ago. The RCEP consists of 1...