India is opposed to an outcome on domestic regulations on services pushed by many developed countries at the on-going Ministerial Conference (MC 11) of the WTO at Buenos Aires.

The country, however, is ready for a work programme on services subject to some conditions. “India wants to exclude rules on investment facilitation (Mode 3) and include elements from its proposal on trade facilitation agreement on services such as movement of workers and recognition of quality actions,” a Commerce Ministry official said.

The official added that India is not isolated in its views against domestic regulations on services with a large number of developing countries supporting it. “Most African countries are with us on the matter of domestic regulations on services and we draw a lot of strength from that,” the official said.

The African group also support India’s proposals on easing movement of professionals and recognition of qualifications of professionals in other countries.

However, they do not agree with some other elements of India’s trade facilitation proposal such as data transfer and agreement on social security.

“India has, therefore, identified elements from its own trade facilitation proposal which would be acceptable to allies. These need to be included in the work programme,” the official said.

The US is opposed to inclusion of visa issues in the programme, the official added.

Further talks on the issue will take place in the discussion group on services, which is one of the five groups set up at the Ministerial meet to expedite decision-making.

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