New Delhi: India on Tuesday made it loud and
clear it cannot bargain farmers' interest for any global deal
even as it has taken the leadership for reviving the stalled
Doha talks.
"While we go to the negotiating table, we remain
conscious of the interests of the millions of our farmers, the
interests of our small and medium enterprises ...," Commerce
and Industry Minister Anand Sharma said here.
Expressing confidence that a wayout to end the deadlock
on the trade negotiations would be found at the ministerial
meeting here on September 3 and 4, Sharma said India would
seek greater market access in services, the largest
contributor to the country's gross domestic product.
He was addressing heads of Indian missions asking them to
play a greater role in responding to growing protectionism in
the West. "It is my firm belief that such measures are
delaying economic recovery and prolonging recession... The law
enacting 'Buy America' provisions is a case in point.
Similarly, our consignments of pharmaceuticals bound for
Africa are repeatedly held up in EU."
Earlier, Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar said the
ministerial meeting to be attended by all major groupings like
the G-20 led by Brazil, African Group led by Egypt, the US
and the European Union, was not meant for hardcore
negotiations but to build a consensus on Doha round.
Bureau Report
First Published: Wednesday, August 26, 2009, 00:47