Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Tuesday, May 31, 2005 |
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Special Correspondent
The offers include business services, construction and related engineering services, health-related and social services.
NEW DELHI: India will soon make revised offers in the services negotiations at the World Trade Organisation in the same areas where initial offers were made in June 2003. These include business services, construction and related engineering services, health-related and social services, tourism and travel-related services, maritime services, and transport services. A directive to this effect was given to the Commerce Ministry by the Cabinet Committee on WTO Matters which held a meeting here on Monday presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. It also gave the Commerce Ministry the flexibility to move forward in the services negotiations within the limits of its autonomous liberalisation or, in other words, to the extent to which India has already carried out liberalisation. Speaking after the meeting, Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath said: "What we ultimately offer will depend on what is offered to us." While making the revised offer, India would also be guided by the range and depth of the improved offers that would be made by the developed countries in modes and sectors of interest to India.
National interest
He said only Canada and Australia had made their offers so far. Asked about opening up of the retail, legal and accountancy services being opposed by the Left parties, he said the offers would be driven by the country's national interest. Official sources, however, said that these areas were not being considered for the time being as part of the services offer even though the Government was keen on further liberalisation. Mr. Kamal Nath said India would not bind its existing policy framework at the WTO if it did not get satisfactory reciprocal offers especially in Modes 1 and 4. Mode 1 is cross-border supply of services covering business process outsourcing and Mode 4 is for the movement of natural persons under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). The commitment of developed countries in both these modes was critical for the country's IT sector especially after legislation had been launched in the U.S. both to curb outsourcing and make changes in visa and immigration procedures. The Minister said that given its strengths in the area of services, India is a "demandeur" in the WTO negotiations for liberalisation of trade in services.
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