India Pushes for Trust and Consensus at WTO's MC14, Calls for Progress on Outstanding Mandates

WTO Ministerial Conference: India's Commerce Minister Calls for Consensus-Based Decision-Making

On March 27, India's Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal addressed a ministerial breakout session at the 14th World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference, emphasizing the need for consensus-based decision-making to revitalize the WTO's functioning.

Restoring trust among WTO members is essential to revitalize the organization's functioning, Goyal stated. He called for a comprehensive and constructive stock-take of the current impasse, highlighting the need for transparent, inclusive, and member-driven discussions to understand the root causes of the current situation.

Key issues at the forefront of the discussion include:

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• Public stockholding for food security, a critical concern for developing countries like India that rely on farm support programs to ensure food access for millions.
• Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM), which would allow developing nations to temporarily raise tariffs to protect their farmers from sudden import surges or price shocks.
• Cotton issue, which centers on reducing trade-distorting subsidies and improving market access for cotton producers in developing and least-developed countries.

Goyal reiterated that decision-making at the WTO must remain consensus-driven, cautioning against approaches that sideline members through plurilateral arrangements. He stressed that any reform process must be inclusive and reflect the interests of all members, not just a subset.

The minister's remarks come amid broader debates on reforming the WTO's negotiating function and overcoming deadlocks that have slowed progress on key trade issues.