"Given that there is a high probability of including industrial tariff in the negotiations, India should make most of it by getting better market access for its exports," Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) said in a statement on Sunday.

Simultaneously, there should be an effort to evolve WTO-compatible mechanisms to ensure that Indian industry is shielded from sudden decline in tariffs, it said.

Listing textiles, clothing, leather, rubber products, footwear, processed goods, which have been adversely affected by the concealed high tariff peaks, the chamber said 20 per cent of the peak tariffs of the United States and 25 per cent of the peak tariffs of European Union and Japan exceed 30 per cent.

Therefore, as a trade-off for negotiationson industrial tariff, India should seek reductions in peak tariffs to enhance the market access of its exports.

On a parallel track, India should utilise the opportunity of negotiations of industrial tariffs to bind the tariffs on consumer goods at 40 per cent.At present, consumer goods are protected by quantitative restrictions which are slated to go a year earlier than the original deadline of 2003 after the recent decision of the dispute settlement panel against India.