(a) the details of road blocks in WTO talks with India; and
(b) the steps taken by the Government to conclude the current round of trade talks under the
aegis of WTO?
(a) the details of road blocks in WTO talks with India; and
(b) the steps taken by the Government to conclude the current round of trade talks under the
aegis of WTO?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY(SHRI JAIRAM RAMESH)
(a) The multilateral trade negotiations in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) under the Doha
Work Programme, which were launched in November 2001, are still in progress.These negotiations
have not yet concluded mainly due to gaps in the positions of WTO Members, particularly in
respect of market access and domestic support issues in agriculture and market access issues in
non-agricultural products. On 08 February 2008, the Chairpersons of the WTO’s Committee on
Agriculture (Special Session) and the Negotiating Group on Market Access brought out the Revised
Texts on Draft Modalities on Agriculture and Non-Agricultural Market Access (NAMA) respectively.
The WTO Members are currently holding negotiations on these Revised Draft Modalities texts on
Agriculture and NAMA and also on other issues covered by the Doha Work Programme, such as
Services, Rules including Fisheries Subsidies, etc.
(b) Throughout the negotiations, India has been working constructively with coalition partners
in developing country groupings in the WTO, such as the G-20, the G-33 and NAMA 11 and also with
developed country Members with a view to achieving an outcome that would appropriately reflect
the development dimension of the Doha mandate.