India on Thursday took a firm stance on the Doha Development Agenda as the two-day Doha round of the trade negotiations started in Geneva.
Minister for Commerce and Industry and Textiles Anand Sharma on Thursday ruled out implementing the proposal on freezing of customs duties at current levels, stating it amounted to the developing countries “ceding their policy space and being denied any recognition for their autonomous liberalisation”, according to a statement issued by the ministry of commerce and industry.
He also said that any export restrictions on agricultural products and any kind of dilution of the flexibilities available under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules for imposing export restrictions and taxes was “unacceptable”.
The minister urged the members to not deviate from the development agenda based on which the current round of trade talks started in 2001.
