Question : INDIA`S COMMITMENT TO DOHA ROUND TALKS

(a) whether the Government has expressed its concern to the United States and other developed countries on various occasions regarding the slow progress of Doha Round Talks;

(b) if so, the details thereof alongwith the response received in this regard; and

(c) the details of steps being taken by the Government to fulfil its commitment towards Doha Round of Talks to facilitate free trade?

MINISTER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY(SHRI ANAND SHARMA)

a)to c): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 19 ANSWER ON 26TH JULY 2010 REGARDING “INDIA’S COMMITMENT TO DOHA ROUND TALKS”

(a) to (c) India supports a fair, equitable, rule-based multilateral trading regime. The Doha Round of trade talks in the World Trade Organization (WTO) is a development round and India has consistently maintained that its early conclusion is in the best interests of developing countries.

After the breakdown of the Mini-ministerial meeting in July 2008, several attempts were made to resume discussions. In the wake of the economic crisis, an early completion of the Doha Round was supported by world leaders in order to provide a stimulus to the global economy. India sent out a strong signal of support by hosting an informal Ministerial meeting in New Delhi on “Reenergising Doha: A Commitment to Development” in September 2009.

The stalled negotiations resumed in the WTO soon after the Delhi meeting. However, while meetings have been taking place regularly, there has been hardly any progress on major issues in the negotiations.

India has expressed concern about the slow progress on various occasions including the Seventh Ministerial Conference of the WTO held in November-December 2009.

At a stock-taking exercise of negotiators held in the WTO in March 2010, members in general expressed a willingness to continue working towards an early conclusion of the Round based on established principles of multilateral engagement, building upon the progress already made in the negotiations. The importance of the development dimension was also emphasised.

India has been working with key developed countries, including the USA, and developing countries towards a balanced and development-oriented conclusion of the Doha Round.