India warns against forced rules, flags WTO legitimacy risks at ministerial meet

India has said that credibility of the World Trade Organization (WTO) depends on consensus-based decision-making, calling for reforms that are transparent and inclusive to address challenges such as divisions among members and the dysfunction of the dispute settlement system.

It said that no country should be forced to follow rules it does not agree with, warning that forcing rules without consensus could undermine WTO's legitimacy amid ongoing institutional challenges.

“Consensus-based decision-making is the bedrock of the WTO’s legitimacy,” commerce minister Piyush Goyal said at the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) in Yaoundé, Cameroon, which concluded on Tuesday.

According to a government statement, Goyal emphasized that members must retain the sovereign right to not bind themselves to rules they do not agree to and also called for a time-bound and transparent stock-taking exercise to address the current impasse.

The trade ministerial conference ended with several key issues, including WTO reform, e-commerce, TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights), and development matters, set to be taken forward at meetings in Geneva, according to the statement.

The meeting brought together trade ministers and senior representatives from across the WTO membership, with India’s delegation led by Goyal, who underscored the need for an inclusive, transparent and member-driven approach to global trade negotiations.

On fisheries subsidies, India presented a people-centric approach, emphasizing livelihood concerns and sustainability, noting that the sector support more than 9 million people in the country. India also highlighted conservation measures such as the 61-day annual fishing ban and stressed that overfishing is largely driven by industrial fleets rather than small-scale fishers in developing countries, with ministers agreeing to continue negotiations and submit recommendations at the next ministerial conference.

India also opposed the incorporation of the Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement into the WTO framework, cautioning that “incorporation of Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement risks eroding the functional limits of the WTO and undermining its foundational principles.” It called for broader discussions and safeguards before integrating plurilateral agreements.

On e-commerce, the statement said India engaged constructively but no consensus could be reached on extending the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions, noting, “India engaged positively on the issue of moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmission but convergence could not be reached amongst the members,” with the issue now set to be taken up at the WTO General Council in Geneva.

On agriculture, India called for a cautious and development-oriented approach, urging members to prioritize long-pending issues. “The focus of negotiations… remains consistent with delivering priority outcomes on long-pending issues on PSH (public stockholding for food security), SSM (special safeguard mechanism) and cotton.” India also sought a permanent solution on public stockholding for food security and pointed to a trust deficit in ongoing negotiations.

On development and TRIPS-related matters, India supported the extension of the moratorium on non-violation and situation complaints (NVSC) and pushed for greater technology transfer to help developing and least developed countries enhance participation in global trade, while reiterating that special and differential treatment provisions must be strengthened rather than diluted.