(a) whether Government intend to expand G-20 and build linkage with other developing countries of the world;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the steps proposed by the Government to adopt India specific approach in the forthcoming WTO talks specially on agriculture?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY( SHRI E.V.K.S. ELANGOVAN)
(a) to (c): Periodic meetings of the G-20 alliance on agriculture are held at official and Ministerial levels to formulate the strategy of the G-20 in the ongoing negotiations in the World Trade Organisation (WTO), including on outreach to other Members and to building convergence of views with other alliances in agriculture. As a result of these activities, certain Members of the WTO such as Indonesia, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe have formally joined the G-20 since the Cancun Ministerial Conference was held in September 2003. On a number of aspects, alliances such as the Africa Group and the G-33 developing countries (of which also India is a Member), which strongly advocates the institution of special measures to safeguard food security and rural development needs in developing countries, have indicated a common approach and position in the agriculture negotiations with those of the G-20. The activities of the G-20 are coordinated by Brazil.
India has been making all efforts to ensure that trade-distorting domestic subsidies maintained largely by developed countries are substantially reduced and their export subsidies eliminated, and that the market access commitments by developing countries like India serve to safeguard their food and livelihood security concerns and rural development needs.