“We will not succumb to any pressure. We will protect our sovereign interests. But at the same time we will strive for a rule-based multilateral trade system while seeking an early conclusion of the Doha Round of the WTO talks,” Commerce Minister Anand Sharma told the Upper House replying to a calling attention motion on the present status of WTO negotiations.
The main negotiating issues and key elements from India’s perspective in the Doha Round are to honour the development dimension, protecting interests of poor farmers and industry and seeking greater market opportunities for its farmers and industry, Sharma said. India has been engaging with coalition groups to ensure that India’s key interests are maintained, he noted. While reiterating country’s commitment to the “successful” conclusion of Doha process through a ‘constructive engagement” Sharma emphasized that the development dimension of the Doha Round should be central to all discussions.
“We have made it clear at WTO that historical distortions must be corrected and farmers’ livelihood and food security must be protected in any trade agreement,” Sharma said.
India has made it categorically clear to the developed countries that high level of subsidies being paid by them must be cut drastically, he said adding “there cannot be any agreement with these subsidies.”
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