Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the 13th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO), stating that India retains its full policy space to safeguard the interests of farmers and fishermen. Goyal highlighted that India’s procurement of food grains for distribution to the needy remains unaffected.
Despite the inability of members to reach a consensus on crucial issues like agriculture and fisheries subsidies, the conference was extended by a day. While no decision was made on permanent solutions for public food stockpiling or fisheries subsidies, the moratorium on e-commerce trade import duties was extended for two more years. Additionally, new regulations on domestic services and the formal admission of Comoros and Timor-Leste as WTO members were achieved.
India effectively advocated for food security and protected the interests of its farmers and fishermen. Goyal described the conference outcome as positive, noting progress on longstanding contentious issues. However, India raised concerns about ambiguities in proposed fisheries subsidies agreements, particularly regarding subsidies for resource-poor fishermen.
Regarding the extension of the duty moratorium on e-commerce trade, Goyal stated that India wasn’t entirely opposed, given the lack of prior discussions on its scope and impact.
In response to efforts by certain developed countries to introduce non-trade issues like investment facilitation and environmental and labor agreements, Goyal emphasized India’s stance against their inclusion in the WTO framework. He affirmed that India successfully prevented non-trade issues from becoming part of the WTO agenda, asserting the importance of preserving the organization’s original mandate.
