India wants upcoming mini-ministerial to focus on trade protectionism

Nations still differ widely on the key issues that will be discussed at the meeting being held in India on May 13 and 14

India wants the upcoming mini-ministerial in New Delhi to focus on ways to reduce protectionism in global trade and uphold the sanctity of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Come May 13, however, it will be hard pressed to also discuss global e-commerce rules, something it has avoided so far.

After five rocky years of choppy global trade, increasing protectionism in most markets and little headway in key trade policy debates, the government is keen to end its term with a final push at the WTO. Subsequently, the commerce department obtained Election Commission approval to hold the two-day long event. It