India's Agenda at WTO Ministerial Conference
India is preparing to advocate for several key issues at the upcoming World Trade Organisation (WTO) ministerial conference. The focus will be on public stockholding for food security, a special safeguard mechanism, and maintaining the WTO's core principles.
Key Issues
- Public Stockholding for Food Security:
India seeks a permanent solution to public stockholding as part of its food security measures. - Special Safeguard Mechanism:
This mechanism is aimed at protecting against sudden import surges. - Dispute Settlement Mechanism:
India emphasizes the need for a fully operational two-tier dispute settlement system. - WTO Principles:
Maintaining the fundamentals of consensus-based decision-making, member-driven character, and special and differential treatment is crucial.
Conference Focus and India's Role
- 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14):
The conference will address agriculture, ecommerce, fisheries subsidies, and investment facilitation for development (IFD). - India's Leadership:
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will lead the Indian delegation, emphasizing India's constructive role in discussions.
Additional Considerations
- Draft Ministerial Text on Agriculture:
While referring to past decisions, it lacks a clear forward path but hints at a new US approach to negotiations. - Reform Deliberations:
The ministerial is termed a reform ministerial, exploring a credible reform pathway for future agendas. - Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD):
India raises questions on whether investment should be under WTO's purview. - Other Issues:
Includes moratorium on ecommerce transmissions, fisheries subsidies, and China-led investment proposals.
