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India calls for WTO action on non-tariff barriers, ensuring strong dispute resolution mechanism: Goyal
Jun-04-2025

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said that India has called for action to curb non-tariff barriers, address trade distortions caused by non-market economies, and restore a strong dispute settlement mechanism at the World Trade Organisation (WTO). He also pitched for strengthening the current consensus-based approach at the WTO, the special and differential treatment given to less developed countries and developing countries, and bringing back focus on issues that have already been finalised and mandated at previous ministerial meetings. 

The minister said ‘all in all, the shared concerns of all the ministers were placed before the gathering, and we have all resolved to collectively work to strengthen the working of the WTO, to ensure the core principles are respected and work towards global good and global growth in trade’. He also said that it was agreed upon by the member nations to make an effort to bring back the mojo into the organisation as all countries recognise the importance of multilateralism. He said the other tracks which came up for discussion include resolving agri issues, including finding a permanent solution to the issues of public stockholding for food grains. He added that there is the track on finding solutions to address the concerns of overfishing and indiscriminate fishing that is leading to depletion of fish stocks, there are concerns about several JSIs (joint statement initiatives) (or) pluri-laterals, which some countries believe should be brought within the multi-lateral framework.

Talking on the China-led proposal for an investment facilitation pact, he said issues that have been mandated at the WTO should get priority and should be the first issues to be resolved. Issues going beyond trade (like this proposal) should not be brought into it as it would create further differences between member countries. India is against this proposal. 


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