That India’s stand at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has upset the US, as was evident during Secretary of State John Kerry’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi last Friday, does not come as a surprise to those watching the attitude of the US and other advanced European countries towards India’s concern for ensuring food security for the poor. Modi did well to explain to the visiting Secretary of State that it is necessary for developed countries to understand the various challenges of poverty in the developing nations and their governments’ responsibilities in addressing them when discussions take place in international forums. India, therefore, will have to protect its right to continue the agriculture-support programmes and stockpiling of food for the benefit of its poor.
However, while India’s concern for ensuring food security and providing support to farmers is based on sound reasoning, one wonders whether it should have blocked the WTO-sponsored Trade Facilitation Agreement efforts to standardise global customs rules to ease trade since it was still open to conclude the agreement by December 2014. India possibly does not want to lose its bargaining power for acceptable terms for ensuring its food security-related concerns.
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However, while India’s concern for ensuring food security and providing support to farmers is based on sound reasoning, one wonders whether it should have blocked the WTO-sponsored Trade Facilitation Agreement efforts to standardise global customs rules to ease trade since it was still open to conclude the agreement by December 2014. India possibly does not want to lose its bargaining power for acceptable terms for ensuring its food security-related concerns.
S K Choudhury Bangalore
Letters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:
The Editor, Business Standard
Nehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg
New Delhi 110 002
Fax: (011) 23720201
E-mail: letters@bsmail.in
All letters must have a postal address and telephone number