The Swadeshi Jagaran Manch (SJM) is calling for the protection of India’s interests in trade and commerce during the 13th WTO ministerial conference in Abu Dhabi from February 26-29. Dr. S Lingamurthy, SJM’s south India co-convener, emphasized the importance of safeguarding the interests of the Indian people in any agreements made at the conference.
The Indian delegation, led by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, is participating in the conference to discuss various trade issues among the 164 member-countries of the WTO. SJM is specifically advocating for the protection of food security, food stock holding, and agricultural subsidies during the negotiations.
Additionally, SJM is urging against bringing fisheries and subsidies under the purview of WTO regulations, as they are currently not regulated by the organization. The organization also wants developed nations to liberalize their visa rules for labor and professionals from India and other developing countries to access service markets more easily.
A team of 12 experts from India, representing different professional fields, is part of the SJM delegation at the conference. They are working with NGOs from various countries to address issues such as food security, fishing rights, livelihood concerns, and environmental security. The goal is to promote cooperation among developing nations and advocate for mutual interests at the grassroots level.
