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Marking a slight shift in India’s stance so far at the World Trade Organisation where it has opposed new issues such as investment facilitation and global e-commerce rules being pushed by several developed countries, Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu has said that some of the new issues being raised by others may also be of relevance for India.
The Minister said existing issues such as agriculture are critical livelihood issues, and remain extremely important for India.
Prabhu was speaking at a two-day brainstorming session with trade experts, former bureaucrats and other Ministries and Departments on what the country’s stand should be on key issues following the lacklustre Ministerial Meet of the WTO in Buenos Aires (MC-11) in December last.
Comprehensive engagement
“This is probably the largest and most comprehensive engagement ever with almost all stakeholders. Stakeholders were diverse. Some had completely opposite views. That is what we wanted. The idea was to brainstorm on what we should do post-MC 11 and how we should progress,” Prabhu said addressing the media at the conclusion of the two-day session on Tuesday.
The Minister emphasised that special and differential treatment remains a critical aspect of the WTO’s framework and it is non-negotiable for India, an official release said.
India has invited about 40 countries to participate in an informal meet of WTO countries on March 20 to identify ways in which the global trade talks could be re-vitalised.
“The countries invited to the mini-ministerial do not belong to one interest group. They are representing the whole world and the agenda of the meeting is how to keep WTO alive and kicking. It is important to have such a discussion as people raised doubts about the relevance of WTO at Buenos Aires,” the Minister said.
The invitees include the US, the EU, Australia, Pakistan and many others from across Africa and Asia.
New Delhi has so far been opposed to new issues being discussed at the WTO but there is a growing feeling among certain sections of the government and academia that the country need not oppose negotiations in issues such as investment facilitation where controversial portions such as investor-state dispute are not part of the discussion.
“We have taken stock of all the points and counter-points raised by participants on sensitive issues such as investment facilitation and e-commerce. The inputs from the meeting would play a significant role in helping the Commerce Ministry firm up its stand for future negotiations at the WTO,” a Commerce Ministry official told BusinessLine .
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