India says Doha talks in logjam

Cites US unwillingness as main reason

“We do not expect any major breakthrough in the Doha talks this year   because of unwillingness of US to conclude the deal,” Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar indicated here, on Monday, while interactive session with the industry on WTO issues. “However we are hopeful of a successful Doha conclusion in 2011, when pace of negotiations will pick up after the elections in US in November this year,” he said.

The US will crystallise its stand on various WTO issues once the election process is over, Khullar said. He assured the industry that India’s trade negotiators would protect the “legitimate interests” of country’s various stake holders like trade, industry and agriculture while negotiating for conclusion of Doha Rounds of talks of the WTO.

While articulating country’s trade strategy for the coming decade Khullar said that the next decade would see trade emerging as the major engine of India’s economic growth.  He indicated that the trade agenda over the next ten years would be determined by India’s vision for the future.  Urging the Indian industry to look beyond short-term narrow interests and focus on the future prospects Khullar said that there was fear of rise of protectionism in developed countries because of movement of industry from developing to developed countries.

However, he hoped this wave of protectionism would diminish in the next three to five years, paving the way for Indian industry to reap the opportunity.  In response to a query Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce D K Mittal said that a successful Doha round would result in greater market access for Indian exports.