By: Vinod Kumar
The thirteenth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) began on a positive note in Abu Dhabi with Comoros and Timor Leste joining the WTO on the opening day, supported by India, signaling the organization’s expansion as it approaches its 30th anniversary.
Central to the conference discussions were deliberations on the future trajectory of the WTO, with a specific focus on sustainable development and policy space for industrialization. India played a prominent role, underscoring the critical need to prevent the fragmentation of the multilateral trading system and maintaining a steadfast focus on trade issues. There was a caution against intertwining non-trade topics with WTO rules.
India’s emphasis extended to advocating for flexibility within existing WTO agreements to address concerns specific to developing countries. The delegation, led by India’s Commerce Secretary, Sunil Barthwal, highlighted the imperative to separate long-standing development issues from new trade and industrial policies.
Additionally, India stressed the importance of addressing inclusion through targeted national measures and expressed concerns about the potential negative effects of non-trade issues on developing countries’ trade interests
India outlined various measures undertaken to enhance the inclusion of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and women, particularly through digital infrastructure. This served as a reaffirmation of India’s commitment to multilateralism and the rules-based global trading system.