The base papers on services negotiations and on agricultural negotiations have also been put on the website. This information was given during a meeting here on Wednesday evening of the senior officials of the ministry with the representatives of all the apex industry associations.

India's strategy for the mandated negotiations in services that have commenced in the WTO and the nature of demands that it may put on the major trading partners for the specific sectors were discussed in detail during the meeting.

The meeting also dwelt on the nature of commitments that India could take in the next round of negotiations.

The issue of domestic regulatory and policy changes that would be required to strengthen the potential for exports or to removethe existing obstacles to them was also on the agenda.

The issue of emergency safeguards measures in services was also discussed. The various aspects covered included the need for and desirability of emergency safeguards measures, distinction between domestic suppliers and established foreign suppliers in the safeguards context, the question of compensation for instituting safeguard measures and the nature of the investigative process for initiating the safeguard measure.

Another thrust area of discussion related to mode 4 of delivery of services on movement of professionals in which India has a great comparative advantage. This is one of the crucial areas for India during the services negotiations and the various issues related to this were discussed. All the industry associations were requested to formulate specific views on each of these areas and after such formulations, another round of meeting was proposed to be held.