India has opposed the extension of the e-commerce moratorium at the WTO Ministerial Conference 14, with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal flagging concerns over its scope and long-term implications.
In his address, Goyal said that in the absence of a common understanding on the scope of the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions, its continued extension "warrants careful reconsideration."
India also made a strong push for structural reforms at the World Trade Organization, calling for a transparent, inclusive and member-driven process, with development at its core.
A key priority highlighted was the need to restore the WTO's dispute settlement mechanism, with Goyal noting that the current system remains dysfunctional and deprives members of effective redressal.
On development issues, India stressed that Special and Differential Treatment (S&DT) provisions must be precise, effective and operational, ensuring policy space for developing economies.
India also reiterated its long-pending demands on agriculture, including a permanent solution on public stockholding for food security and the implementation of the Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM) to protect farmers from import surges.
On fisheries, India said it remains committed to a balanced, comprehensive subsidies agreement, safeguarding the interests of small and traditional fishers.
Goyal further underlined that plurilateral agreements should not impose obligations on non-participating members, reinforcing India's stance on consensus-based multilateralism.
The intervention signals India's firm push to recalibrate global trade rules, balancing digital trade, development priorities and equitable growth within the WTO framework.
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