Political Science and

International Relations
WTO

Arvind Singh Rajpurohit

ArvindaPSIR
PYQs
1.Identify and evaluate the reasons for deadlock in the WTO negotiations on
fisheries between the developing and developed countries. (2022, 250W, 20M)
2.Critically evaluate the role of the United States of America in the World Trade
Organization (WTO) dispute settlement mechanism and its implications for the
future of the WTO. (2020, 200W, 15M)
3.Analyse the stalled progress of Doha Round of WTO negotiations over the
differences between the developed and the developing countries. (2017, 200W,
15M)
4.Sketch the leadership role of India in WTO negotiations. (2013, 150W, 10M)
5.Sketch the journey of global political economy from Washington consensus to
the present. (2013, 150W, 10M)
6.How far institutions like WTO and IMF have influenced India's political and
economic sovereignty? What has been India's response to these? (2005, 200W,
60M)
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World Trade
Organization

ArvindaPSIR
World Trade Organization
Q. Future prospects of WTO trade talks
Q. North South debate
Q. India's negotiating position on different issues
Q. Developing countries in WTO
Q. How WTO policies have impacted agriculture?
• The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an
intergovernmental organization that regulates
international trade.
• The WTO officially commenced on 1 January 1995
under the Marrakesh Agreement, signed by 123 nations
on 15 April 1994, replacing the General Agreement on
Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which commenced in 1948.
• It is the largest international economic organization in
the world.
• The WTO deals with regulation of trade in goods,
services and intellectual property between
participating countries by providing a framework for
negotiating trade agreements and a dispute resolution
process aimed at enforcing participants' adherence to
WTO agreements.
• What is the philosophy behind WTO?
➢It is based on Ricardo’s Theory of Comparative Advantage.
Every country should work on comparative advantages and
they should get largest market available.
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 History of WTO
• WTO is the third pillar of liberal international economic ITO ( Proposed
order presented by USA. in 1945 )
• Even International Trade Organisation was conceptualized
but it could not come into existence, instead of GATT came
into existence.
• Difference in WTO and GATT
➢GATT was set of treaties where as WTO is an organisation. Since GATT ( 1947 )
the volume of trade had become so much that it became
necessary to create organisation to frame rules and to ensure
that parties interact on regular basis.
➢GATT Treaties dealt only with trade in good but WTO covers
other areas also like trade in agriculture, services, Intellectual
Property Rights, Investment. WTO’s scope is continuously
expanding the new areas are coming under WTO like Information WTO ( 1995 )
Technology, E-Commerce. India has proposed trade facilitation
agreement in services.
1. Ministerial Conference
➢ It is highest decision making body.
➢ Minister of Commerce and Industry
participate in it.
➢ Meets once in 2 years
2. General Council
➢ It is executive body which works throughout
the year.
➢ We can call it WTO bureaucracy, hence
meets regularly
➢ It carries out decisions of Ministerial
Conference
3. Trade Policy Review Body
➢ WTO ensures that countries take binding
commitment for the sake of predictability.
➢ TPRB keeps watch on countries policies so
that they do not violate their commitments.
4. Dispute Settlement Body :
➢ To oversee procedures for settling disputes
between members
➢ DSB is a political body.
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WTO principles
1. Non discrimination:
a. MFN status: This rule requires member countries to apply same condition to all
WTO members which means granting special favours to every WTO members.
b. National treatment: It means that imported goods should be treated at par with
domestic goods.
2. Reciprocity: Exchange of Goods.
3. Binding and enforceable commitments.
4. Transparency: WTO members are required to publish their trade
regulation policies, etc.
5. Safety valves: In specific circumstances government can restrict that
trades. WTO agreement also permits members to take measures to
protect Environment, Public Health and Animal Health.
6. Free and fair trade
WTO and developing countries
• WTO has been sold to
developing countries on the
ground that “Trade rather
than Aid” will resolve
developmental crisis.
• WTO offers large market, big
market means more
businesses, more economic
activities, more employment,
more GDP.
Why WTO is good for developing countries?
• At least in theory WTO is good because
1. Multilateralism is always favourable. Poor countries do not have
bargaining power hence instead of bilateral deal they should go for
multilateral platform.
2. In WTO all developing countries have equal status. Every country has
veto power, all countries should agree even a single country can stop the
process.
3. WTO recognises the principles of Common but Differentiated
Responsibility.
4. WTO provides for the capacity building of developing countries. So that
they can participate in free trade.
What has been the impact of WTO on developing countries?
• With exception of few developing countries like China and
India most of the developing countries have been adversely
impacted.
• Even in the countries where there have been some benefits,
growth has been imbalanced.
• Agriculture has been the worst affected sector. Since WTO
has come into existence the number of farmers suicide
throughout the developing countries increased. Problem of
Hunger and malnutrition has also increased.
• WTO policy has resulted into growth of inequalities as a
result there has been protest against it by the member of
civil society.
• It has led to the counter globalisation movement. It became
increasingly difficult day by day to even hold WTO meetings.
• In 1999, Seattle conference it was not possible to conduct
the meeting because of the protest, ultimately Doha (Qatar) Seattle conference of 1999
was chosen as the venue, Qatar does not have democracy,
hence no Right to Protest and demonstrations.
 Doha Development Round 2001
• Developing countries were successful in imposing the
development agenda.
1. It was accepted that development rather Trade will be
priority.
2. Special and differential agreement: In 2003 developed
countries agreed for compulsory licensing and IPR policy
change.
3. It was expected that with respect to new set of agreement
principles of Single Undertaking will be adopted. It means
nothing is agreed until there is agreement on everything.
4. However developed countries are not interested in single
undertaking concepts now. They support early harvesting
(Cherry Picking)
 Doha development agenda (DDA)
• WTO's Fourth Ministerial Conference concerns such as food security and rural
development.
took place in Doha, Qatar, in November 2. Non-agricultural market access (NAMA): To
2001 reduce or as appropriate eliminate tariffs as well
as non-tariff barriers, in particular on products of
• Objectives: It sought to place export interest to developing countries.
developing countries’ needs and 3. Services: To improve market access and to
interests at the heart of the Work strengthen the rules. Each government has the
Programme. right to decide which sectors it wants to open to
foreign companies and to what extent, including
• To ensure that developing countries, and any restrictions on foreign ownership.
especially the least-developed among 4. Trade facilitation: To ease customs procedures
and to facilitate the movement, release and
them, secure a share in the growth of clearance of goods. It would cut bureaucracy and
world trade commensurate with the corruption in customs procedures and would
speed up trade and make it cheaper.
needs of their economic development. 5. Geographical indications: to “facilitate” the
• Subjects of the DDA : protection of wines and spirits in participating
countries.
1. Agriculture: More market access, eliminating
export subsidies, reducing distorting domestic
support, sorting out a range of developing
country issues, and dealing with non-trade 13
Why WTO agreement has not been in favour
of developing countries?
1. Lack of expertise: Developing countries could not understand the
implication of agreements, technicalities. These agreements are
Lawyer’s Paradise.
2. Grievances redressal through WTO dispute settlement body is too
costly, most of African countries have never utilised the
mechanism. Many African countries are not even having the
resources to maintain their office in Geneva.
3. Green room diplomacy: Western countries used carrot and stick on
smaller countries and force them to agree on even on unfavourable
agreements.
Hence WTO proved to be a “Trojan Horse.”
ArvindaPSIR
 North South Issues : AGRICULTURE
• Most protected & most controversial area of international
trade. From perspective of developing countries, it is linked
to their livelihood that is why it gets importance.
• Developing countries look agriculture from the perspective
of subsistence while for developed countries it is purely
commercial point of view.
• Comparison between developed & developing countries in
context of Agriculture:
➢ In North 4% population is dependent on agriculture, whereas
that of in south is 70%.
➢ In North: Share of agriculture in GDP is just 3%. South: 30% (In
India – 14 %) (Agriculture + Allied sectors – 17%)
➢ In North Agriculture is done on commercial line whereas in
south it is based on "Subsistence Farming”. 85% of India farmer
holds less than 6% of land holding.
• Agricultural Negotiations are based on 3 Pillars
1. Market Access
2. Export subsidy
3. Domestic support

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 Agricultural Negotiations :
1. Market Access : i.e. 10% import surge: USA – high level
• Countries have to reduce tariff & non- of Import Surges i.e. 40%
tariff barriers. b) Special Product: In the interest of
• Situation in Developing countries – high Poverty Alleviation, Rural
tariff Development, and Rural livelihood.
Certain products can be kept out of
• In Developed countries – low tariff liberalisation. India & USA have
barriers high non-tariff barriers. disagreement over the no of Product
• Two mechanisms with respect to market that can be termed as SP. India wants
access: to keep Maximum product whereas
a) Special safeguard mechanism (SSM): It USA suggest not more than 5 product
is emergency restriction on import due should be under special product.
to sudden import surge. There has ➢ Present Status
been disagreement in the past ▪ No agreement
developed & developing countries over ▪ India’s stance is defensive while developed
SSM in India & USA. India wants to countries are offensive.
invoke SSM at low level of import surge 17
EXPORT SUBSIDY :-
• Both developed countries & Developing countries have been providing
Agriculture subsidy to Agricultural Product.
• In 2004 as a part of ‘July Package’ export subsidies had to be eliminated by
2013 by developed by 2016 by developing countries; however both
continued to provide subsidy.
• Present Status:-
➢Nairobi Declaration 2015 It was agreed that developed countries will eliminate
export subsidy immediately from Jan 2016 onwards and developing countries shall
eliminate by 2018. However developing countries got on continuing subsidy of
maintainance & Transport till 2023.
• Note: This agreement is not legally binding hence matter cant be taken to
dispute settlement.
 Agricultural Negotiations
3. DOMESTIC SUPPORT:
• Domestic Support is a major trade
distorting factor under Agreements on
Agriculture (AOA) following methods to
categories subsidy was adopted.
1. Green Box: Minimal distortion .
Purpose is R & D hence allowed
2. Blue Box: Little/ some distortion &
production limiting
Purpose: is for activities in animal
husbandry or allied sectors hence
allowed
3. Amber Box: Production and trade
distortion. It directly impact the amount
of production there is limitation on
amount of subsidy that can be given. 19
• Developed countries can’t give more than 5% of total Value of
agriculture produce in a year, and Developing countries can’t give
more than 10% of agriculture produce in a year.
• However the value of agricultural produce is measured considering
1986-88 base year
• In quantitative terms 5% of developed countries is many time more
than 10% of developing countries.
• What is the Status ?
➢Developing countries couldn’t understand the politics of boxes & Developed
countries channeled their subsidy through green & blue box.
➢Approach of developing countries:
▪ A/c to them green & Blue Box should also be made limited or public procurement for
food security in developing countries be brought under green box.
India’s Food Security Act & Issues of Domestic subsidy:
• India’s food security act which provides calorie intake in rural & Urban area are
statutory entitlement for food have declining.
become the matter of controversy. • In order to provide food security &
• Agriculture in India has become least incentive the farmers to produce food
attractive which is clear from the scale grain, Government of India wants to
of farmer suicides. give MSP for food price. However if
• WTO polices have exposed our farmer India wants to fulfill its international
to unfair competition. It has exposed obligation than India have to adopt
farmers to fluctuation & agricultural other mechanism such as purchasing
goods in global market. It also impacted the imported grain & give direct cash
India’s food security as farmers shifted transfer to address loophole of PDS.
to cash crop eg.Cotton. • Developed countries also find MSP
• Under WTO restriction we have to support against their commercial
suspend Programs like Work for Food interest, they even accuse that
Service, PDS etc. Government of India uses its Public
stock holding for dumping food grains in
• Data suggests that 50% of children in international market. However to
India are undernourished 70% of address the rural poverty,
population is anemic, BMI of 30% of unemployment, Malnutrition, India
population is below average, per capital can’t leave the policy of MSP.
 Present Status:-
• After India’s effort, peace clause had been extended on a permanent basis till final
solution to the problem of public stock holding is not agreed. Developing countries
have also demanded to change the base year according to which value of
agricultural produce is calculated.
• From Developing countries G33 group has been negotiating on issue of domestic
support.
• Cotton :- C4 countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali) have been demanding
greater access in developed countries because they have been impacted because of
huge subsidy given by USA.
• In Nairobi LDC’s have been given opportunity of DFQT (Duty free, Quota free)
Access however this doesn’t address problem completely because there is no final
settlement with respect to subsidy of agriculture.
• WTO has impacted food security in multiple ways.
1. Farmer shifted to cash crops.
2. Government have to suspend programs like food for work
3. There is a restriction on the amount of food item that can be released. It has created
paradoxical situation where food grains are getting rotten in government warehouses but
mass hunger is prevailing.Developed countries accused developing countries on attempt to
dump cheaper agriculture products in international markets.
Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies ( July 2022 )
• It will prohibit subsidies from being • Exempted Areas:
provided for Illegal, Unreported and ➢ No prohibition has been imposed on a WTO
Unregulated (IUU) fishing and overfished Member regarding granting or maintaining
stocks. subsidy to its vessel or operator as long as it
is not carrying out IUU.
• The agreement also prohibits providing ➢ No prohibition on providing subsidies has
subsidies for fishing on high seas, which been imposed for fishing regarding
are outside the jurisdiction of coastal overfished stocks as long as such subsidies
countries. are implemented to rebuild the stock to a
biologically sustainable level.
• Under the Special and Differential
Treatment (S&DT), Developing Countries • Benefits:
and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) have ➢ It will eliminate the subsidies granted to
been allowed a transition period of two fishing vessels or fishing operators engaged in
years from the date of entry into force of IUU fishing.
this Agreement. They will have no ➢ It will check large-scale IUU fishing which
obligation to implement disciplines for the deprives coastal countries like India of
specified period. fisheries resources, thereby significantly
impacting the livelihoods of our fishing
communities.

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Non Agri Market Access (NAMA)
• NAMA covers variety of commodity excluding those which are covered on
agreement on agriculture. The main group which is negotiating is NAMA 11.
• In NAMA sector, developing countries have to take sharper cuts in tariff because
they still maintain high tariffs. Developed countries have already reduced their
tariffs.
• Despite reducing tariff, export of developing countries has not increased because
of non tariff barriers.
• On NAMA, both developed and developing countries are defensive.
• For developing countries custom revenue forms important segment for financing
and other development policies.
• There has been disagreement over formula of tariff reduction. Earlier countries
adopted Swiss formula but now consensus is getting diluted on Swiss formula.
• Swiss formula
➢ It is a nonlinear formula where higher tariff means steeper tariff cuts.
➢Currently, NAMA is not a major area of negotiations.
 Countervailing Duty and Anti-Dumping Duty
• Countervailing Duty: It is imposed on
imported goods to counterbalance
subsidy provided by the exporter country.
• Anti-Dumping Duty: An antidumping duty
is a protectionist tariff that a domestic
government imposes on foreign imports
that it believes are priced below fair
market value.
➢Dumping is a process where a company
exports a product at a price lower than the
price it normally charges on its own home
market.
➢To protect local businesses and markets,
many countries impose stiff duties on
products they believe are being dumped in
their national market.

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 North South Issues : Trade in services
• There is very limited progress in liberalisation of service sector.
• Nature of negotiation
It is voluntary in nature and based on the principle of reciprocity.
• There are four modes:
1. Mode 1: Export of services like BPO and IT. India is interested in this and has offensive stand.
2. Mode 2: Meant for services consumed abroad, eg. tourism developed countries are interested.
3. Mode 3: Service provider has commercial presence in importing countries like banking,
developed countries are more offensive and developing countries are defensive.
4. Mode 4: Deals with the movement of person. India is interested in Mode 4, Developed
countries have forced developing countries to open the service sector but now they impose
many non-tariff barriers against developing countries.EU have not granted data secure status
to India.
• Western countries do not recognise the degrees given by the educational institutions
and imports conditions for certification.
• Present Status:
➢ India has proposed trade facility agreement in services also which will provide a greater mobility
by relaxing visa norms, insurance coverage etc

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 North South Issues : IPR issues
• It is also the most controversial issues,
especially in pharmaceuticals.
• Initially developing countries agreed to the
proposal of developed countries. This had
created the crisis of Public Health, especially
in African countries.
• Ultimately under Doha talks developed
countries were forced to agree for
compulsory licensing in the interest of public
health.
• Now developed countries want to restrict
compulsory licensing of generic drugs. Section 84 : Indian Patent Act 1970

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 Present Status on IPR :
• Developed countries want that compulsory licensing should be
permitted only for domestic purposes and not for export.
• India and African countries oppose the proposal. African
countries do not have infrastructure or expertise to manufacture
the generic drugs. They cannot afford imported medicines from
Western countries.
• Besides above, Asian countries want to impose stringent norms
for IPR with respect traditional knowledge. US pharma
companies are filing patents for medicines which are
traditionally used in India. Eg. Haldi
• Besides pharmaceuticals there are also dispute with respect to
Geographical Indicators. Since the Western countries have more
resources. They are able to get the certifications of Geographical
Indicators. There has been dispute between India and USA over
basmati rice, haldi, neem and other products.
• Vaccine Equity : At Ministerial Conference’s twelfth outing
(MC12) , member countries agreed on authorising the use of a
patent for producing COVID-19 vaccines by a member country,
without the consent of the rights holder.
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North Vs South : On electronic transmissions
• Broadly, electronic transmissions (Ets) consist of online deliveries such as
music, e-books, films, software and video games. They differ from other
cross-border e-commerce since they are ordered online but not delivered
physically.
• According to UN Conference on Trade and Development duty-free market
access due to electronic transmissions results in a loss of $10 billion per
annum globally — 95% of which was borne by developing countries.
• Present Status :
➢Member countries agreed to extend the current moratorium on not imposing
customs duties on electronic transmission (ET) until MC13 — scheduled to take place
in December 2023. 105 countries which includes the U.S. , the U.K., Australia, China
and Japan among others , had sought an extension of the moratorium, with India
and South Africa being in opposition.

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 Crises in WTO's Dispute Settlement System
• The 7-member Appellate Body (AB) requires at least 3 members
to function.
• Appointment takes place through consensus, i.e. all member
states need to agree upon the appointment. Thus, it is easy for
one-member state (US, in this case) to block appointments
indefinitely.
• The World Trade Organization’s Appellate Body ceased to exist
on Dec. 10, 2020, when its last member left. Over the past few
years Trump and later Biden administration repeatedly had
blocked the selection of new tribunal members when their
predecessors’ terms expired. As a result, the WTO lost its
premier tribunal — a first in its history.
• Many expected the Biden administration to end the paralysis.
Despite its professed affinity for multilateralism, however, the
White House so far has adopted the same positions as former
President Trump
• The US believes the WTO is biased against it and has criticised it
for being "unfair".
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 Grievances of developed countries
• USA, EU and Japan feel aggrieved by China’s distortive trade policies such as- subsidies
for state-owned enterprises, undervalued yuan, labour exploitation, stringent norms
against foreign companies from entering domestic Chinese market, rampant piracy
and counterfeiting of MNC products.
• While WTO’s dispute settling mechanism allows aggrieved parties to file cases against
member-states. But some of the cases and issues have remained unresolved for a long
time, and their permanent resolution requires changes in the trade agreements.
• With this resentment, USA openly criticized WTO in the latest summit, saying “It is
impossible to negotiate new rules while many of the current rules were not being
followed (against China). WTO gives special and differential treatment to fast-growing
and wealthy developing countries (like India and China). WTO is losing its focus and
becoming too litigation-oriented.”
• In the aftermath of economic crisis and refugee crisis, the political parties that favour
nationalism, protectionism and anti-immigration policies against developing countries-
have gained traction within EU member-states. President Donald Trump’s “America
First” ideology is also of similar nature.
• Therefore, in international summits, both USA and EU have become more conservative
and intolerant of developing nations.
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Q. Where WTO is moving?
• WTO is important for developing countries especially smaller countries.
• Developed countries especially USA are interested in undermining
multilateralism. Hence they had launched Mega-trade blocs like TPP, Trans-
Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.
• Doha development agenda addresses the developmental concerns of
developing countries by reforming existing critic. However it is not moving
ahead.
• As BRICS started challenging developed country. Doha development
agenda is being neglected by developed countries and they have proposed
WTO 2.0.
• Developed countries are more interested in Singapore issues which
includes investment, government procurement, trade facilitation,
competition policy etc.
Indications at Nairobi ( 2015 ) and Buenos
Aires ( 2017 )
• It seems developing countries are losing • They also do not support Single
and developed countries are winning. Undertaking Concept.
• Nairobi declaration does not mention • For the first time in Nairobi it has been
importance of multilateralism and openly mentioned that some member
commitment of developed countries countries feel that Doha rounds of talks
towards WTO. Infact, they questioned the have outlived it's important. They proposed
relevance of DDA and asked to look new WTO 2.O.
mechanism. • They propose multiple talks and early
• The only achievement of Nairobi harvesting concept. Developed countries
declaration is adoption of TFA which has have proposed new issues like e-
been the demand of developed countries. commerce, Information Technology
• Now developed countries want to focus on agreement.
e-commerce, currency manipulation, • Doing away with import tariffs and
investment etc. consumer durables and electronic items,
• Developed countries want collapse of Doha they also want to take up the investment
talks. issue seriously.
Outcome of Geneva Conference ( 2022 )
• According to D. Ravi Kanth outcomes of the meeting leaves us in no doubt
that the European Union (EU) and some other developed countries are the
overwhelming winners, while India finds itself on the losing side.
• Developed countries gave TRIPS waiver to patents but limited it to vaccines
and not to diagnostics and therapeutics and raw material.
• The EU has also managed to create a window to pursue negotiations on
issues related to trade and environment at the WTO.
• the issue of a permanent solution to public stockholding which India
described as top most priority issue and had support of 80 countries did
not find mention anywhere in the ministerial outcome.
• Developing countries failed in many of its other objectives, such as securing
the right to raise revenues by taxing electronic transmissions.

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Outcome of 13th Ministerial Conference
(MC13) in Abu Dhabi
• Accessions: • Plurilateral Agreements and
• Comoros and Timor-Leste joined WTO, Initiatives:
increasing membership to 166, covering 98% of • Progress in Investment Facilitation for
world trade. Development (IFD) and new Domestic
Regulation of Services for streamlined trade.
• Reform of Deliberative and
Negotiating Functions: • Sustainability Initiatives:
• Improvements in WTO functions and efficiency • Progress on plastics pollution,
were reviewed. environmentally sustainable trade, and fossil
• Commitment to a fully functional dispute fuel subsidy reform.
settlement system by 2024.
• Fisheries Subsidies:
• E-Commerce: • Agreement prohibiting subsidies for illegal,
• E-commerce moratorium extended until MC14 unreported, unregulated (IUU) fishing.
or 31 March 2026, whichever is earlier.
• Progress towards enforcement with 71
• COVID-19 TRIPS Waiver: Members ratifying as of March 2024.
• No consensus on expanding Covid-19 TRIPS
Waiver for diagnostics and therapeutics.

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Important challenges of WTO
1. Existential Crisis: 7. E-commerce and Digital Trade:
• The WTO is grappling with challenges that question its role and • The WTO has failed to establish a comprehensive framework to regulate
relevance in global trade governance. digital trade and e-commerce, a rapidly growing sector.
2. Stalemate in Negotiations: 8. Global Supply Chain Disruptions:
• The Doha Development Round (2001) aimed at addressing concerns of • Recent disruptions, especially during COVID-19, have exposed
developing nations remains unresolved. vulnerabilities in the global trading system and raised calls for reforms.
• Developing and developed countries are divided on issues like
agriculture subsidies, market access, and fisheries negotiations. 9. Climate Change and Environmental Standards:
• The WTO faces pressure to integrate sustainability and climate-friendly
3. Dispute Settlement Mechanism Paralysis: policies into trade agreements but struggles to achieve consensus.
• The Appellate Body, critical for resolving trade disputes, has been
dysfunctional since 2019 due to the US blocking judge appointments. 10.Uneven Trade Benefits:
• Developing countries argue that the WTO’s trade policies
4. Shift Toward Bilateral and Regional Trade Agreements: disproportionately benefit developed nations, especially on intellectual
• Countries increasingly prefer bilateral and regional trade agreements, property and special and differential treatment.
reducing the significance of WTO-led multilateralism.
11.US-China Trade Rivalry:
5. Consensus-Driven Deadlock: • The WTO has been unable to effectively address disputes stemming
• The WTO’s consensus-based decision-making process often leads to from the US-China trade war, including issues of tariffs and subsidies.
stalemates, given the diverse interests of its 166 members.
12.Institutional Reforms:
6. Tensions with Emerging Economies: • Calls for restructuring the WTO include reforming the dispute resolution
• The growing influence of nations like China, India, and Brazil has led to system, updating rules for the digital economy, and addressing emerging
tensions, especially on issues of market access, state subsidies, and economic power dynamics.
intellectual property.

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India's agenda
1. Permanent solution for food security
2. Agreement on SSM
3. Agreement on trade facilitation in services
4. India is planning to oppose agreement in e-commerce as well as
information technical agreements.
Conclusion
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his recent U.S. visit, rightly pleaded
for a rule-based global order.
• Institutional multilateralism would be the ideal antidote to mounting
unilateralism and economic nationalism.
• The WTO is the finest example of such a rule-based multilateral order in
trade.
• Notwithstanding its flaws, the WTO is the only forum where developing
countries like India, not party to any mega plurilateral trade agreements,
can push for evolving an inclusive global trading order that responds to the
systemic imbalances of extant globalisation.
• What is at stake is the future of trade multilateralism and not just an
institution, in which India has a huge interest.
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