India will not bow, WTO heading for another deadlock?

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New Delhi, Feb 1: The World Trade Organisation’s Doha Round negotiations seem to be heading for another deadlock. India, a leader of the developing and least developed countries, on Friday made it clear that it would not bow down to “pressure tactics” adopted by WTO director-general Pascal Lamy as well as from the EU and US to close the Doha Round by this March-April with details favouring rich countries.

New Delhi said it would not agree to any pact that does not include the interests of developing and poor nations. It also cautioned Lamy that imposing any deadlines on the poor and developing countries would, instead, be counter-productive.

“Negotiations must be allowed to complete its own course. India is against any pre-determined deadlines. What is important is a satisfactory outcome,” additional secretary in the commerce department Rahul Khullar told reporters here.

India also ruled out giving market access in agriculture and industrial goods without ensuring that its interests were protected in trade in services. The commerce ministry said WTO members expected more in terms of actual progress in services negotiations and that the WTO DG or the Secretariat could not wash their hands off this issue. India has now called for a structured discussion on services. India has a major interest in outsourcing of services and movement of natural persons and service suppliers.