India to oppose non-tariff barriers in G-8 summit

India along with other G-5 developing countries will oppose attempts by the G-8 industrialised nations to erect non-tariff barriers under the garb of promoting clean energy and arresting climate change.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is leaving for the G-8 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland tomorrow, will articulate the developing countries' stand along with other G-5 members to press for "common and differentiated response" to deal with climate change and sustainable development.

Singh, who will participate at the three-day summit from July 6 as a special invitee, will forcefully demand that the protection of intellectual property right (IPR) be relaxed for use of cleaner technology along the lines of the concessions given for dealing with HIV/AIDS menace.

"We are working with five developing countries on some kind of action plan on the issue relating to climate change, energy and sustainable development", Foreign Secretary Shyam Sharan told reporters on the eve of the Prime Minister's visit.

Apart from india, other members of G-5 are China, Brazil, South Africa and Mexico. All G-5 countries will meet ahead of their meeting with the G-8 leaders on July seven. G-8 industrialised nations comprise US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Italy and Russia.

Sharan warned that the developing countries cannot be penalised for the greenhouse gas emission which is due to the lopsided development policy being pursued for decades by the industrialised countries. Sharan said India would utilise the opportunity to send a clear message to the industrialised nations that in an era of globalisation.

"We should avoid any kind of protectionist measures in the shape of non-tariff barriers," he said. He said there were concerns about outsourcing and it was important that the markets of developed countries remain opened to developing countries.