India is in no mood to budge on its food subsidy programme at the World Trade Organisation ministerial meeting next week.
A clear indication of this came from Commerce Minister Anand Sharma, who said India will secure and protect the right to food security of poor people and the right to sustenance of farmers.
Permanent immunity
Sharma asserted that India will strive for a permanent immunity from any kind of farm subsidy breach.
He also said that India will remain positively engaged with the other WTO members on farm subsidy and other issues, including Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).
“It has been speculated that India has agreed to only four years protection (under the peace clause). Let me put the record straight that India’s final position will be made clear in the Ministerial statement. India is very clear about interim solution – solution until a permanent solution is put in place,” Sharma told media persons here on Friday, a day after the Cabinet mandated him to negotiate India’s stand in Bali.
Easing trade
The TFA is aimed at easing international trade by simplifying and streamlining customs procedures across the globe.
The pact is estimated to bring in gains worth $1 trillion for global trade.
There are fears that India’s food security programme would breach the subsidy cap of 10 per cent under the WTO’s Agreement on Agriculture. Developed countries have proposed an interim solution of four years ‘peace clause’ during which period India would not attract penalty even if the 10 per cent cap is breached.
There are five issues for the meeting – Trade Facilitation Measures, G 33 countries’ view on food security, Tariff Rate Quota mechanism for agriculture produce, Export Competitiveness and issues related with Least Developed Countries.
India has some views on first two issues while it has endorsed the draft on the last three points.
“As far as what we give to our poor people, that is our right and that is insulated in entirety from any multilateral negotiations or WTO negotiations. That is the sovereign space and for India it is sacrosanct and non-negotiable. India has never agreed when it comes to this particular aspect to be made part of any multilateral,” he said.
Market access
He also said that the Cabinet on Thursday decided to give duty free and quota free market access to 96.2 per cent of the India’s tariff lines to least developed countries (about 24). Earlier it was allowed on 85 per cent of Indian products.