India on Monday emphasised the need for resuming talks on the WTO's stalled Doha Round, stating that the negotiating text for global trade can be the staring point for further talks.
"It will become clear in the next few days whether the US and other developed countries are serious to conclude the Doha negotiations, which have dragged for seven long years," a senior commerce ministry official told PTI. India along with other members of the G-33 (a group of countries with protective interest) is apprehensive of the US exerting pressure on the negotiating group to cut the number of Special Products.
"If the Doha Round does not materialise that would not be on account of the US agricultural subsidies ... major emerging economies (India and Brazil) are not coming up with enough market access, especially in non-agricultural areas such as services including financial services," US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, who will be visiting India shortly said.
Neeraj Chopra on Thursday acknowledged that his stardom sometimes comes in the way of training and competing in India.
World Trade Organization chief Pascal Lamy on Thursday faced serious charges of creating darkness at noon in the crucial Doha modalities negotiations when several trade ministers complained about their exclusion from the hard bargains he is conducting among seven members that also include India.
Senior officials from G-12, including the US, EU, India and China, stepped up efforts to keep the Doha trade negotiations on rails by placating Brazil, Argentina and South Africa, which have specific concerns with trade in industrial goods. Brazil's chief trade negotiator Roberto Azevedo threatened to leave the negotiations if the special flexibilities for the four MERCOSUR Customs Union members -- Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay -- are not conceded.
The fresh initiative by Commerce Minister Anand Sharma to meet ambassadors of the key members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva, in a bid to revive the deadlocked Doha round of trade negotiations, is well-timed though a positive outcome may be doubtful.
Indian boxers shone bright at the Doha International Tournament as Commonwealth Games silver-medallist L Devendro Singh (49kg) advanced to the final, while six others entered the semis.
India, Brazil and other developing countries have been asking rich nations like the US and European Union to cut farm subsidies, while resisting the pressure mounted the developed nations for reducing industrial tariffs. The Doha Round is running way behind schedule as the rich and poor nations have failed to reach a consensus on the controversial issues.
During the Paris Olympics, Chopra had expressed his desire to play in the Diamond League Final to be held in Brussels, Belgium, on September 14. For that to happen, he will have to play at least one DL Meeting -- either in Lausanne on August 22 or in Zurich on September 5.
The prospects for ministers pushing through an outline deal in the so-called Doha round of trade talks hang in the balance, with the US struggling with scepticism from Congress and its business and farm lobbies.
Aiming for a breakthrough in the Doha Round of negotiations, trade ministers of the G-4 group of countries (India, the United States, Brazil and the European Union) will meet in Delhi on April 12.
India has rejected the World Trade Organisation's proposal to conclude the negotiations on the Doha Round by June-end.
Chef de Mission of the Indian contingent, Ramlal Thakur, confirmed that the discuss thrower would not be arriving in Doha.
Reader Sarvendra Dubey sent us a picture of Jeev Milkha Singh from Doha.
A high-level expert group will provide recommendations on boosting global business through trade liberalisation.
Dipa Karmakar scripts history, becomes first Indian gymnast to win gold in Asian Senior Championships
Doha will host the 2008-2010 WTA Tour season-ending championships, the most prestigious event on the women's tennis circuit.
Qatar's Doha Bank has said it is keen to engage Indian IT major Wipro to provide software solutions to improve its e-commerce and Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) systems, among others.
The Indian tennis contingent arrived in Doha for the Asian Games minus Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi.
Women's hockey team captain Jyoti Sunita Kullu will have the honour of carrying the Indian tricolour at the opening ceremony of the Asian Games.
The Seoul meeting could provide an opportunity to sort out differences between the US and emerging economies within the larger framework of global adjustment.
China's state media, athletes and netizens rallied to support Olympic swimming champion Pan Zhanle
Rajan says that China should not be solely blamed for global imbalances. Rajan is hopeful but not confident of reviving Doha trade talks.
The Indian golfing ace was lying fourth after the first round in the Commercialbank Qatar Masters.
Neeraj Chopra produced a season's best effort of 89.49m in his last attempt.
A cramp-ridden Caroline Wozniacki lay twisted and tortured on the hardcourt of Doha in October 2009 but 12 months later she is certain to leave the same venue as the year-end world number one.
Nursing a long-standing groin injury, Chopra claimed a silver in the Paris Olympics on August 8 with a 89.45m throw
The Indian athletics team probables for the Commonwealth will be sent for advanced training to the two cities
The US has asked India and Brazil, the two developing economies, to bring 'more' to the table at Doha by way of 'increased responsibility' and 'positive contribution'. "India has a long and proud and powerful tradition as a leader in the North-South issues, debates. The fundamental difference between the Doha Round and the previous trade Rounds is that this is not a North-South issue.
The Obama administration has not received any specific assurances from India that it will help carry the developing countries with it to help successfully complete the stalled Doha Development Agenda, but the fact that New Delhi is hosting the World Trade Organization ministerial meeting exudes optimism in this regard, US Trade Representative Ron Kirk has acknowledged
The eight former Indian Navy personnel were on October 26 given death sentence by Qatar's Court of First Instance.
The Olympic Council of Asia decided to drop cricket because of their tight schedule.
Neeraj Chopra on Wednesday clarified that Sunday's Paris Diamond League was never a part of his competition calendar this year.
AIFF seeks investigation into Qatar's controversial goal against India
The aim at the meeting, which will see participation from negotiators of 37 countries, is to generate an agreement on clear directions to negotiators to re-energise the multilateral process at the World Trade Organization. The approach followed, so far, in the negotiations has been to get member-countries to agree on modalities for cutting tariffs on agricultural and industrial goods, gradually eliminating export subsidies and reducing agricultural subsidies.
The chase to host the 2020 Summer Games was reduced to a three horse race between Istanbul, Madrid and Tokyo after Doha and the Azerbaijan capital Baku were dropped from the running by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Wednesday.
