COMMENTARY
INTERVIEWS
SPECIALS
CHAT
ARCHIVES

Hegde leads panel to WTO meet

Commerce Minister Ramakrishna Hegde is heading a delegation to the World Trade Organisation ministerial conference at Geneva to assert India's stand on nuclear issues. He is also expected to demand the stoppage of non-tariff barriers on market access.

Hedge is also expected to meet Pakistan's trade minister at a dinner party but meeting US President Bill Clinton or ministerial delegations from the US, Japan or China are not on the cards. But he will be meeting delegations from Australia and New Zealand which have imposed sanctions on India following the nuclear tests.

He will also meet Sir Leon Brtian of the European Commission and heads of delegations from China, Malaysia, Turkey and some Southeast Asian Association for Regional Co-operation members.

The commerce minister said he would be putting forth Indian views on anti-dumping, technical standards that could keep India out of foreign markets. Hegde has asserted that India would oppose efforts by developed countries to use such standards and regulations to protect their markets. Issues like intellectual property rights and patenting of Indian herbs are also to be raised, as will be the inclusion of the Agreement on Textile and Clothing into the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

The government has also decided to set up an expert panel to study issues related to the WTO and to provide technical inputs after Hegde returns from Geneva.

This is apparently all part of India's new aggressive attitude in gaining market ground and push for implementation of decisions within the framework of the Uruguay round.

Hegde says clarifications made during such talks would assure these countries of India's benign intent to other nations.