Cabinet to Take Call on India's Stand on WTO Bali Pact

NEW DELHI: Amid sharpening differences between India and developed world on WTO issues, Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will finalize this week New Delhi's stand on Bali agreements including ratification of the trade facilitation pact.

The Cabinet meeting comes close to the July 31 deadline for ratification on protocol of trade facilitation agreement (TFA).

India has vehemently opposed the process of implementation of the WTO's Bali agreements which include TFA, permanent solution on India's public stock holding of foodgrains for its food security programme and issues pertaining to least developed countries (LDCs).

The final protocol for the TFA, which is dear to the developed world including the U.S. and Australia, was concluded by the WTO members but "no single meeting" has happened on India's food security related issues, a senior commerce ministry official said.

"India do not trust the intentions of the developed countries. There are examples in the history for not trusting them. India's stand will now be decided by the cabinet. The Prime Minister will have to sit with the Cabinet and decide. We want single undertaking," the official said.

The official added that the Cabinet would take a call whether to ratify the trade facilitation pact or not. The pact will be formally implemented in 2015.

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