New Delhi, March 28 (IANS) Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has emphasised that WTO discussions must address the asymmetries from the Uruguay Round, underlining the importance of all members having a fair opportunity to build productive capacity, create employment, and participate meaningfully in global trade.The minister said that the multilateral trading system must ensure that innovation, development and opportunity are shared equitably among Members. He also stated India’s commitm…
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New Delhi, March 27 (IANS) Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said that WTO reforms must be pursued through a transparent, inclusive and member-driven process, with development at its core, at the ongoing 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) in Yaounde, Cameroon, an official statement said on Friday.He also underlined the need to uphold key principles such as non-discrimination, consensus-based decision-making and equity.On the sidelines of the conference, Goyal met Cameroon Pri…
New Delhi, March 26 (IANS) India came out strongly on Thursday for WTO reforms to be carried out through a transparent, inclusive and member-driven process that keeps the special rights of developing countries at its core in accordance with the foundational principles and objectives of the multilateral organisation. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, in his address at the WTO ministerial conference in Cameroon, said that the WTO reforms must be centred around development and focus mainly on non-dis…
New Delhi, March 25 (IANS) India will adopt a constructive, balanced and development-oriented approach at the upcoming WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14) — scheduled to be held from March 26-29 in Yaounde, Cameroon, the government said on Wednesday.India’s delegation will be led by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, along with senior officials, technical experts and representatives from various ministries.The discussion will focus on WTO reform, the e-commerce work programme and mora…
New Delhi, March 25 (IANS) The European Union will take up the issue of China dumping cheap goods in Europe, which is harming local industry, at a meeting of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) this week, EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic told journalists.Sefcovic said he will demand serious reform of the WTO during a meeting in Cameroon this Thursday and make it crystal clear that China’s economic rise has meant the global trade environment has dramatically changed…
New Delhi, March 20 (IANS) India will make a strong pitch for further strengthening the world trade organisation (WTO) in its support for a fair multilateral global trading system, at a ministerial conference scheduled to be held in Cameroon from March 24–29 amid growing protectionism and geopolitical uncertainty around the world.The Indian delegation at the WTO conference will be led by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, who will accompanied by Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal and …
Washington, March 18 (IANS) US lawmakers pushed for a permanent ban on tariffs on digital products ahead of the WTO ministerial, with India’s opposition emerging as a key hurdle.At a Congressional hearing, officials said extending the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions is a top priority. The rule has been in place since 1998.The moratorium bars countries from taxing digital trade such as software, data, and online services.House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Adrian Sm…
New Delhi, Feb 26 (IANS) The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), along with the Permanent Mission of India to the WTO in Geneva, organised special sessions on trade on the sidelines of the meeting of the Committee on Trade Facilitation at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva, according to an official statement issued on Thursday.The event on Tuesday comprised two focused sessions on trade facilitation and capacity building, highlighting India’s transformative reforms un…
New Delhi, Feb 11 (IANS) South Africa’s High Commissioner to India Prof. Anil Sooklal said on Wednesday that the proposed SACU (Southern African Customs Union)–India Free Trade Agreement would significantly boost trade and investment flows between the two regions. In an exclusive interview with IANS, the High Commissioner said that this would be the first free trade agreement between India and a regional bloc in Africa. The SACU consists of five member countries – Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho…
New Delhi, Jan 29 (IANS) India’s steady rise as a key player in global trade is evident in its increasing share of both global merchandise exports and commercial services exports, said the Economic Survey 2025-26 released on Thursday.According to the WTO’s World Trade Statistics, between 2005 and 2024, India’s share of global merchandise exports has nearly doubled, rising from 1 per cent to 1.8 per cent.Similarly, its share in global commercial services exports has more than doubled, risin…