“Bharat First” Trade move at WTO Ministers meet demanded by SJM

Partha Roy, Kolkata: Swadeshi Jagaran Manch (SJM), demanded interest of people of India in various sectors of trade and commerce should be protected in any negotiation at biennial 13th WTO Ministerial Conference being held at Abu Dhabi on 26-29th February 2024. 

While addressing a press conference at Press Club, Kolkata, National Co-Convenor, Swadechi Jagaran Manch Shri Dhanpat Ram Agarwal appealed to Government to ensure interest of people of India in long term while agreeing,as well as signing on any agreement. 

Indian official delegation is led by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Shri Piyush Goyal. WTO Meet is organised to deliberate on various ongoing agenda and for- negotiation of several trade issues involving imports and exports of goods, services amongst 164 member countries representing about 90 percent of the global population.

SJM  demanded food security and food stock holding as well as agricultural subsidies should be protected at all cost. SJM demanded any effort by large corporates to bring fisheries and  subsidies on fisheries under perview of WTO should be avoided as fisheries is not currently under WTO regulations on agriculture.
 
Service sector visa rules of developed nations need to be liberalised to allow labour and professionals from India & other developing nations can get easy access to service markets of developed nations. A 12 members team of experts from  different professional areas are visiting Abu Dhabi from India as a part of SJM team to coordinate, cooperate and collaborate with wide range of NGOs from different nations to promote causes like food security, fishing rights, livelihood issues enviromental security issues, service – visa issues and on other topics of mutual interests as well as to promote South-South Cooperation at people to people level.