Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday called for urgent reforms at the World Trade Organization, stressing the need to restore its credibility and address systemic gaps that have weakened the multilateral trading system. Goyal said that the dysfunctional dispute settlement mechanism has deprived member countries of effective redressal. He underlined the need to reinstate a fully functional, automatic and binding dispute resolution system, which has remained stalled for years.
The minister also expressed his concerns against incorporating plurilateral agreements into the WTO framework without consensus, noting that such moves can dilute the rights of non-participating countries.
“A dysfunctional dispute settlement system has deprived members from effective redressal. We must restore the automatic and binding dispute settlement system. The incorporation of plurilateral outcomes into the WTO framework should be based on consensus and not impair existing rights of non-parties or cast additional obligations on them,” said Goyal.
On agriculture, Goyal reiterated India’s long-standing demand for a permanent solution on public stockholding for food security, along with a special safeguard mechanism and resolution on cotton subsidies — issues that remain central for millions dependent on the farm sector across the Global South.
He also added: “India remains committed to negotiating a comprehensive Fisheries Subsidies Agreement that balances current and future fishing needs, and protects the livelihoods of poor fishers.”
Goyal also raised concerns over the lack of consensus on continuing the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions, warning that its implications—particularly for developing economies—must be carefully evaluated before any extension. The 14th Ministerial Conference, or WTO Ministerial Conference MC14, is taking place from March 26 to 29 in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The Indian delegation led by Goyal along with other bureaucrats is at the conference.