Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal is scheduled to hold a series of bilateral meetings with his counterparts from countries such as Australia, the UK, Brazil, the US, the EU, South Africa and South Korea on the sidelines of the on-going G 20 Ministerial Summit in Italy.

“The Minister is going to meet top global trade ministers at G 20 Ministerial Summit in Italy, to give further impetus to trade ties,” according to a government official.

G20 Trade Meet: India likely to make renewed pitch for IPR waiver for Covid-19 vaccines, meds

This is part of the government’s efforts to achieve $400-billion export target this financial year and increase it further the next, the official added.

FM interacts with co-chairs of G20 high-level panel

Goyal is likely to discuss the on-going talks on Free Trade Agreements with partners such as the UK and the EU as well as other deals and partnerships with his counterparts.

Other areas to be highlighted by the Minister in his meetings are likely to include building of robust supply chains, the on-going ‘Make in India’ initiative in the country and India as an attractive foreign investment destination, the official said.

IPR waiver

Goyal is scheduled to give his address at the G 20 Summit on Tuesday where he is likely to make a renewed pitch for the need for temporary intellectual property rights waiver for essential medicines and vaccines to beat the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Minister will also meet WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala at the on-going Summit. He may stress on the need for the WTO to keep recognising the sensitivities of developing countries and work out fair deals in all areas being negotiated, including domestic subsidies in agriculture.

comment COMMENT NOW