NEW DELHI: A day after India vetoed a landmark global trade deal at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) meeting in Geneva over domestic food security concerns, the US on Friday pushed for a quick agreement on the pact when its Secretary of State John Kerry met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here.
The use of veto over the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) on Thursday was a strategy that New Delhi adopted to clinch pact on food security that would permit the country to maintain its food stocks and subsidies at levels exceeding those permitted under the WTO rules.At the WTO meet in Bali last year, then Union Commerce Minister Anand Sharma had agreed to a TFA deadline of July 31 and a 2017 timeframe for the food security agreement.
The TFA was the one of the top issues discussed by the two sides in “a very positive meeting”. In the hour-long meeting, discussions on the TFA and WTO lasted for about 10 minutes.
Modi, who met Kerry and Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, said it was important for both sides to prepare the grounds to yield “concrete outcomes” during his summit meeting with President Barack Obama in September.
Kerry was quoted as having told Modi that though he was very optimistic about India opening up its doors for business, the failure to implement the TFA has sent “a confusing signal”.
He also said the TFA could bring “tremendous benefit” to emerging economies, particularly to the world’s poor, a US State Department official told a media briefing after the meeting.
Pointing out that India’s actions were not in line with the PM’s vision, Kerry urged New Delhi to work with Washington to find a quick solution to the matter. “It is not in India’s interest for a solution to be made that does not include India,” the US Secretary of State said and asked the two nations to set a timeframe for quick action to resolve the matter.
Kerry and Pritzker, who are here for the annual strategic dialogue, called on Modi in the presence of Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh.
They conveyed that US President Barack Obama attached “great priority” to the ties with India, while Modi reciprocated by saying there was “broad convergence” of views and interests between the two nations. The two also briefed Modi on the India-US strategic dialogue that concluded on Thursday.
“The visiting US Envoys conveyed that Obama attached great priority to bilateral cooperation and global partnership with India and looks forward to a productive and fruitful summit in September to set an ambitious new agenda to chart a new course in the relationship,” a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said.
The PM highlighted the opportunities for partnership in trade, investment, clean energy, innovation, education, skill development, agro-processing and youth empowerment, among others, the PMO statement said. Modi also put emphasis on the need for developed countries to understand the challenges of poverty in developing countries and their governments’ responsibilities in addressing them, while discussions were being held in international fora.
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