India has cautioned members of the World Trade Organization against using “transparency” requirements to justify trade retaliation or challenge legitimate domestic policies, urging that such norms be supported by capacity-building measures.
The issue was raised by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal during a session on level playing field concerns at the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference in Yaounde, Cameroon, held on March 27.
Transparency rules under WTO agreements require member countries to regularly disclose information on trade policies, subsidies, and regulatory measures. The United States has been advocating stricter enforcement of these obligations as part of broader WTO reform efforts, arguing that several countries fail to provide timely notifications.
India, along with other developing nations, supports transparency in principle but has raised concerns over the proposed approach. It has opposed the introduction of penalties for non-compliance, citing capacity constraints faced by many countries.
In a statement, the commerce ministry said transparency must not be “weaponised” and should instead be backed by sustained support to help all members, especially developing economies, meet their obligations fairly.
India also emphasised the need for equitable opportunities for all WTO members to build productive capacity, generate employment, and participate meaningfully in global trade.
In a separate session, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal supported a time-bound resumption of reform discussions but called for decisions to be based on stronger evidence and broader engagement among members. He also warned against plurilateral agreements, saying they risk fragmenting the multilateral trading system.
The government further stressed that consensus-building within the WTO should remain inclusive, transparent, and member-driven, avoiding what it described as selective or predetermined approaches.
On the sidelines of the conference, Goyal held bilateral talks with Canada’s Minister Maninder Sidhu to review progress on a proposed free trade agreement, and also met Oman’s Secretary of State for Industry and Trade, Omar Hejira.