The World Trade Organization`s 12th ministerial conference was described by Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal as an “outcome-oriented success”. He said India was able to defend its interests and those of the developing world at the global level. The international trade regulating body also won back its relevance nine years after the most important trade agreement was reached at Bali`s 2013 conference allowing seamless movement of international goods. While India and emerging economies secured and celebrated the deals, other WTO members were forced to soften their stand as the 4-day high-level meeting that began on 12th June appeared to be headed toward a roadblock. Desperate to ensure that global decision-making is not derailed by differences in the backdrop of the Ukraine-Russia war, countries engaged in intense discussions for 2 more days to arrive at a compromise. India`s demands were the sticking point for several days, but beating back the criticism, Goyal told a press conference in Geneva: “Few countries attempted to create a false campaign, initially on 19th and 20thJune, that India is obstinate due to which no progress is being made. The real situation has emerged before us all, the issues raised by India, on which Prime Minister had asked us to focus upon, now the whole world acknowledges that was the correct agenda and ultimately India played a vital role in arriving at all solutions.” WTO Director-General called the decisions made at the Geneva Package “unprecedented”.
The World Trade Organization`s 12th ministerial conference was described by Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal as an “outcome-oriented success”. He said India was able to defend its interests and those of the developing world at the global level. The international trade regulating body also won back its relevance nine years after the most important trade agreement was reached at Bali`s 2013 conference allowing seamless movement of international goods. While India and emerging economies secured and celebrated the deals, other WTO members were forced to soften their stand as the 4-day high-level meeting that began on 12th June appeared to be headed toward a roadblock. Desperate to ensure that global decision-making is not derailed by differences in the backdrop of the Ukraine-Russia war, countries engaged in intense discussions for 2 more days to arrive at a compromise. India`s demands were the sticking point for several days, but beating back the criticism, Goyal told a press conference in Geneva: “Few countries attempted to create a false campaign, initially on 19th and 20thJune, that India is obstinate due to which no progress is being made. The real situation has emerged before us all, the issues raised by India, on which Prime Minister had asked us to focus upon, now the whole world acknowledges that was the correct agenda and ultimately India played a vital role in arriving at all solutions.” WTO Director-General called the decisions made at the Geneva Package “unprecedented”.
