Addressing the captains of the industry at the interactive session on 'WTO and Indian Industry: Challenges and Strategic Solutions,' Carlos Alfredo Magarinos, director general, Unido (United Nations Industrial Development Organization), stressed that 'productivity' and 'competitiveness' are critical for the Indian industry to excel in the world market.
He said that India has a 'position of leadership' among developing nations, he expressed confidence that if this is used wisely, it could spur developments in other developing countries.
The session was organised by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
He said that Unido would engage in a dialogue on the industrial policy that India needs to follow to increase productivity and to catch up in certain sectors, given the prevailing conditions, both in the financial sector and in the commercial markets.
According to the Magarinos, the textile sector would be affected completely in terms of the patterns of trade after the multi fibre agreement is given a final shape and China accedes to the WTO.
He added that similar problems will crop up with the sector of electronics where companies established in Indonesia and Philippines will relocate to China and also Malaysia.
"We have to do much more," he said, referring to the deadlock over the goals set up by the International Community in September 2001, to reduce poverty by half and to increase living conditions of poor people around the world by 2015.
In this regard, he observed that international agencies like the Unido and other bodies of the United Nations cannot be just wise commentators of the reality, but they have to propose solutions; they have to show how to move forward.
