WTO Ministerial Meet

The current practice of not imposing Customs duties on electronic transmission will continue till the next ministerial conference (MC13) to be held towards the end of December 2023

WTO experience highlights India's less-than-coherent approach towards trade

Outcomes for India were mixed

The members of the World Trade Organization (WTO), for the first time in a decade, finalised a historic deal at 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12). Read more in our top headlines

The conference was initially scheduled to close on Wednesday and is now extended till June 16

WTO DG Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told the more than 100 ministers present that time was running out and that they should "go the extra mile" to converge on the full range of issues

India strongly pitched to the WTO members for finding a permanent solution to the issue of public stock holding of grains, stating that one cannot tread the path of trade on an empty stomach

WTO members sought to forge agreements on food security to ease strained supply and sharply higher prices that the war in Ukraine have worsened with only India, Egypt and Sri Lanka withholding support

India suggested the WTO to permit exports of food grains from public stocks for international food aid and for humanitarian purposes, especially on government-to-government basis

The government subsidy provided to fishermen helps the community do fishing activities to support their livelihood and prohibiting such measures will affect millions of fishers and their families

The WTO chief acknowledged that the global trade body needs reform, adding that the road will be bumpy and rocky and 'there may be a few landmines'

Piyush Goyal in his remarks at the WTO ministerial meet talked about the spiralling food inflation and the need for the agreement on food stockholding

Members of the fishing community from several coastal areas of India protested against the WTO proposal to curb fishery subsidies as it was not responsive to the demands of the developing nations

The meet takes place under the shadow of global inflation, supply chain disruptions, lingering pandemic, slowing growth momentum, and the Russia-Ukraine war

Seeks a permanent solution to the issue of public stockholding for food security

India will press for a permanent solution to the issue of public stock holding of grains for food security programme and strongly protect the interests of farmers and fishermen at WTO ministerial meet

In 1998, WTO members agreed not to impose customs duties on electronic transmissions and the moratorium has been periodically extended at successive ministerial conferences

The commerce ministry has convened an inter-ministerial meeting on May 18 to hold consultations on issues that are likely to figure prominently in the forthcoming meeting of the WTO

Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia had said recently that the meeting would be more of an "ice-breaker" as it is being held after the collapse of talks at the Buenos Aires WTO Ministerial in December