'Ensured non-trade not mainstreamed issues at WTO'

The World Trade Organization's 13th ministerial conference (MC13) ended in Abu Dhabi early Saturday, with an outcome that most analysts described as 'muted.

While no headway was made on further liberalization of world trade, the conference, which dragged on for an additional fifth day, could not even forge a consensus on reviving the dispute resolution mechanism with a functional appellate body. India has managed to foil attempts by many members to bring 'non-trade issues into the mainstream of the multilateral framework, and protect the interests of its fishermen.

While no permanent solution to the grain stockholding issue was found at the meet, India has no major worries on this front, as an enduring peace clause exists in its favour. The West, particularly the EU, blamed India for the sub-optimal outcome of the conference. Minister for commerce and industry, food and Public Distribution Piyush Goyal told FE that rather than dwell on non-trade issues, the WTO at this juncture would do well to restore the credibility of the dispute resolution mechanism.

"By and large the objectives with which we had come to Abu Dhabi are largely met and we go back satisfied," he told Mukesh Jagota in an interview. 

Edited excerpts: How do you see the outcome of the conference? Are you satisfied with what it implies for India? It's a good outcome and we are completely satisfied. A lot of issues continued to make progress in terms of discussions, especially contentious issues that had not been closed for many years. Such forward movement is always a sign of a possible closure going forward. India continues to retain full policy space for the benefit of our farmers, our fishermen, and in every respect we have been able to safeguard India's interests.

What were the issues that were problematic for us? On agriculture, we did not have any problematic issues. As we have the benefit of a peace clause on the public stock-holding of food grains, distribution of grains to the poor free continues uninterrupted and without hindrance.