“The broader aims and objectives of WTO are to manage and promote international trade in the era of globalization. But the Doha round of negotiations seem doomed due to differences between the developed and the developing countries.” Discuss in the Indian perspective. (Not more than 200 words)

The WTO provides rules, negotiation, transparency and dispute settlement for international trade. The Doha Development Round sought outcomes attentive to developing-country concerns, but disagreements over agriculture, market access and development treatment stalled progress.

Sources of the impasse

• Developed members resisted deep reductions in domestic support and protection, while developing countries demanded meaningful agricultural reform.
• Developing countries sought special and differential treatment, food-security safeguards and policy space for development.
• Differences also covered industrial tariffs, services, intellectual property, new issues and the balance between multilateral and bilateral agreements.
• Consensus decision-making made divergent interests difficult to reconcile.

Indian perspective

• India supports a rules-based, non-discriminatory system but insists that livelihood agriculture and food security cannot be sacrificed for market access.
• It seeks stronger disciplines on developed-country subsidies, effective special treatment and balanced outcomes across sectors.
• India benefits from predictable trade but must improve competitiveness, standards, logistics and adjustment support for vulnerable producers.
• Reviving multilateralism requires trust, transparent negotiations and development-centred compromises rather than one-sided liberalisation.

Keywords: WTO; Doha Round; special and differential treatment; agricultural subsidies; food security; multilateral trade.