Explore Business Standard
World Trade Organization
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said India is willing to play a leadership role in driving WTO reforms, but emphasised that the nature of those reforms must be shaped in consultation with developing and least-developed countries to ensure they serve global welfare rather than the agenda of a few advanced nations. He said the world recognises India's strength and leadership and the country is a responsible global citizen and it will continue to be the voice of the Global South. "We would love to lead reforms (at the World Trade Organization). But that reform will be decided in consultation with other developing and less developed countries, so that we can truly work for the welfare of the world and not just the agenda of a few developed nations," he said. The minister was here to participate in the CII Partnership Summit 2025. Goyal was replying to a question on remarks made by WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala that India should take a leadership role in the
World Trade Organisation Chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on Friday said India should be a leader of the reform process at the WTO. She said that India's economy is growing at a healthy pace and it is a leader in areas such as technology. She said that there is a need to look at areas in the WTO which are not working and discuss ways to correct that. "How can we correct that and here India can be a leader, India should be a leader of the reform process at the WTO...we must correct all wrongs," Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said here at CII's partnership Summit 2025. Referring to high tariffs imposed by the US, she said the member nations should pay attention to the concerns flagged by America. India too has flagged concerns on issues like public stockholding, she said adding repeating past grievances will not help to build a strong global trading system. She appealed to all the members of the WTO to work together to strengthen the global trad
The trade tariffs running up to 100 per cent, consistent with the World Trade Organisation norms, are levied for national development and the growth of domestic industry, said Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Reacting to a query in defence of 100 per cent trade tariffs on some US imports, the finance minister said that tariffs are legitimate instruments. "So, when you are at a stage of development when your own industry has to grow, you will tend to make sure that, as per the WTO norms, whatever is the trade tariff which you can levy... you will levy. So that is how it's been happening and it is consistent as I said with the WTO," she said during a post-budget interaction in the port city on Thursday. Observing that trade tariffs prevailing today serve multiple purposes, such as protecting domestic industry, Sitharaman asserted that this protection will continue afterwards as well, and also emphasised on exports and the possibility of reaching newer markets. Referring to
India has pitched at the WTO for stricter regulations on subsidies granted by countries that are engaged in high seas fishing activities, an official said. Highlighting the stark disparity, an Indian document submitted at the World Trade Organization (WTO) has noted that it provides a modest USD 35 per fisher annually, compared to subsidies as high as USD 76,000 per fisher per year in some European nations. India also suggested that historical subsidisers should seek permission of the Committee on Fisheries Subsidies for grant of subsidies in future. The country has made these remarks in the meetings of the Negotiating Group on Rules (Fisheries subsidies), which are going on in Geneva. "India has pitched for strong disciplines for historical fisheries subsidisers which are engaged in distant water fishing (200 nautical miles from sea shore) and has asked for a moratorium on subsidies at the present level for 25 years," the official said. On these demands, India was supported by ..