Ruling out any compromise on developing countries' stance on agriculture, India on Wednesday made it clear that it would not mind even if Hong Kong WTO Ministerial next week collapses on this count.
"If Hong Kong has to end without an agreement so be it. If we can't make them (developed countries) agree, believe me we will also not agree. India will carry on even after Hong Kong... And the interest of the country's 650 million farmers will be protected," Commerce Minister Kamal Nath told Parliament while winding up discussion on World Trade Organisation negotiations.
India and the WTO: News and Issues
"We will not compromise whatever we may get in goods or services for the sake of our 650 million farmers," he said adding agriculture remained the most structurally flawed part of global trade and WTO.
Nath said if there was no convergence ahead of the WTO Ministerial beginning December 13, it was because of India and other developing countries not willing to accept current imbalances in agriculture.
"Until specific commitments are made by developed countries when export subsidies will be phased out in its entirety and domestic support eliminated, there will be no agreement," Nath said.
At the same time, he said India would not be totally rigid in trade talks and that the whole strategy of giving something in return for developed countries give would be driven by employment generation and economic enhancement in developing countries.
"When we are asking for so much we ought to give, but it will be less than full reciprocity," he said.
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