GENEVA CONSENSUS DECLARATION
Putting plurilaterals to good use: India signals change in WTO stance by engaging in plurilateral agreement discussions after BRICS declaration
India has recently indicated its readiness to engage in discussions on plurilateral agreements within the WTO framework. This shift follows India's previous firm stance against such negotiations due to a lack of explicit mandate. While some international partners view this as a promising development, others remain skeptical about India's intentions. It faces increasing pressure from various nations to drop its obstructionist position towards existing agreements.
India’s 30-year wait for a seat has a new twist and an old problem
European nations now support India's bid for a permanent UN Security Council seat. Prime Minister Modi stresses the urgent need for Security Council reform. Key questions involve seat allocation and regional claim resolution. The UN reform process has stalled without a negotiating text. India continues its campaign for elected terms while pursuing permanent membership.
BRICS adopts New Delhi Declaration: Inside the 140-point document on Global South's ambitions
BRICS leaders adopted the New Delhi Declaration at the 18th summit, reaffirming their commitment to cooperation, multilateralism and a more representative global order. The document outlines India's 2026 chairship priorities, recognises partner countries' contributions and calls for greater participation of Emerging Markets, Developing Countries and Least Developed Countries in global governance.
Bilats, brush-bys, pull-asides: The secret art of summitry at BRICS
The BRICS Summit 2026 in New Delhi will showcase the art of summit diplomacy, from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s key bilaterals with Vladimir Putin and a possible Xi Jinping meeting to pull-asides, walk-and-talks and corridor conversations. With BRICS expanding to 11 members, India must balance geopolitics, trade, energy and global governance while using summit choreography, personal chemistry and diplomatic signalling to build consensus.
India stood alone to oppose IFD pact at WTO meet, won't join crowd just to look better: Goyal
India stood alone at the WTO meeting in Cameroon, opposing a China-led Investment Facilitation for Development agreement. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal stated India's stance prioritizes national interests and the WTO's multilateral character. India did not agree to the pact's incorporation into the WTO framework.
US-China Trade Deal: From magnets and minerals to markets, what Trump’s China deal really means for trade, tech, and students
US-China trade deal: The United States and China have reached a tentative trade agreement that would see Beijing lift curbs on rare earth mineral exports in exchange for reduced trade restrictions, including access for Chinese students to American universities. Donald Trump said the deal would bring total U.S. tariffs on China to 55% and described the relationship as “excellent.” Though final approval from both Trump and Xi Jinping is pending, the agreement may ease months of tension that disrupted global supply chains, especially in the automotive sector.
- Go To Page 1
Donald Trump-Xi Jinping call likely to take place this week amid fresh trade tensions, White House confirms
US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to speak this week amid renewed trade tensions. Trump has accused China of violating a temporary tariff agreement made in Geneva last month. While US officials claim Beijing is dragging its feet, China has firmly rejected the allegations, criticising the US for discriminatory trade practices. The situation has unsettled global markets. The expected high-level call is seen as a crucial moment in the strained economic relationship between the world’s two biggest economies.
China criticises US for its computer chip moves and for threatening student visas
China criticised the US for new actions it says breach a recent trade truce, including AI chip export curbs, software bans, and visa revocations. Beijing accused Washington of escalating tensions despite prior agreements, warning of retaliation and stressing its own compliance with trade deal commitments.
US announces deal with China to cut trade deficit, White House says details on Monday
US and China held trade talks in Geneva. Negotiators from both countries reported progress. Scott Bessent led the US delegation. Donald Trump hinted at a possible tariff reset. China emphasized protecting its core principles. Discussions aimed to stabilize global markets. Both sides want to de-escalate trade tensions. Future talks are expected to continue.
China, US agreed to establish economic and trade consultation mechanism: Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng
China and the United States have reached several major agreements and decided to establish a new economic and trade consultation mechanism following high-level talks in Geneva, which both sides described as "candid and constructive." Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng emphasized the need for practical problem-solving, equal dialogue, and expanded cooperation to stabilize and advance bilateral trade relations.
US rejoining international anti-abortion pact
The United States, under Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has announced its rejoining of the Geneva Consensus Declaration, aimed at limiting abortion access. Initially co-sponsored in 2020, the GCD emphasizes better healthcare for women, preservation of human life, family strengthening, and protecting national sovereignty. This comes after the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 ruling eliminating a nationwide right to abortion.
BRICS leaders call for two-tier dispute settlement system of WTO
BRICS leaders committed to promoting a two-tier binding dispute resolution system within the WTO by 2024, rejecting unilateral trade restrictive measures. The Kazan Declaration emphasised support for a transparent, inclusive multilateral trading system and called for timely selection of new Appellate Body Members.
New Delhi ready to negotiate hard on public stockholding of food and fisheries subsidies at Abu Dhabi WTO conference
"Implementation of proposals in the WTO is challenging. The previous agreement to temporarily remove intellectual property rights on COVID-19 vaccines and discuss extending the waiver to diagnostics and therapeutics appears unlikely to be implemented
India fully protected interests of farmers, fishermen at WTO meet: Piyush Goyal
Goyal, who led the Indian delegation for the WTO talks, also said that the decisions taken in the conference will further strengthen the role of the multi-lateral body in promoting global trade and India championed the cause of the developing and under-developed countries.
View: Credibility of WTO rests on whether the more powerful member states can rise to the occasion in Geneva
The ministerial conference is the WTO's apex body, which has the authority to take decisions on all matters under any of the multilateral trade agreements (MTAs). Which is what makes the forthcoming Geneva meet a make-or-break for the WTO.
WTO seeks fish, Covid-19 vaccine deals as Ukraine war ignites trade tensions
Against that backdrop, the ministers will seek to conclude 20 years of negotiations to reduce fishing subsidies, forge a deal on fairer sharing of COVID-19 vaccines, push agricultural trade reform and set a path for reform of the WTO. Dmitry Grozoubinski, director of the Geneva Trade Platform, said there was a sense that the meeting, dubbed MC12, was "a little bit cursed".
Unfair to link WTO reforms with S&DT, says Piyush Goyal
His statement comes ahead of the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12), the highest decision-making body of the WTO, from November 30 to December 3 in Geneva.
Linking of WTO reforms by developed countries with S&DT unfair: Goyal
Developing countries linking World Trade Organisation reforms with special and differential treatment (S&DT), being provided to poor and developing nations, is "unfair" and the trade body needs to reassess the way it has been conducting its affairs, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said
India hopeful of WTO accepting at least part of TRIPS waiver proposal
The proposal has sought temporary suspension of some rules under Trade-Related aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) pact in relation to copyrights, industrial designs, patents and protection of undisclosed information, which in turn will help ramp up production of Covid vaccines.
European parliament members back India request for patents waiver
ET has learnt that MEPs cutting across party lines in their letter expressed concern over delays over vaccines and vaccination in European Union member states and called for global cooperation on the issue.
India bats for WHO reforms as Covid delay by China still stings
India has suggested strengthening of the World Health Organisation (WHO) to declare a global health emergency as well as the creation of a pan world surveillance system to detect infectious diseases in the aftermath of the Covid-19 crisis that was precipitated by a reluctant initial response from China, the country of origin.
Six candidates battle it out for WTO leadership
The United States, which has threatened to leave the WTO, has blocked the organisation's dispute settlement appeal system since December, and wants China moved up from the developing economies category.
India raises protectionism issue at G-20
The demands are at the core of the seven issues flagged by India at a recent meeting of Sherpas, which has started work on putting in place a declaration for the leaders’ meeting late next month.
No tax waiver for revealing illegal assets: Finance minister Arun Jaitley
The disclosed income will get exemption from property tax and the person will not be questioned under income tax or property tax laws.
India set to push for liberalisation of services trade at WTO Geneva talks
Though services negotiations are part of the Doha Round under the General Agreement on Trade in Services, not much has happened in these negotiations since 2011.
India hardens stance in WTO; objects to agriculture draft
Nirmala Sitharaman said that there is still no consensus on anything with regard to agriculture issues and several countries are of the similar view.
Key trade ministers say good basis for Doha pact this year
Leading trade ministers said there was a "sound basis" for agreeing a new global free trade pact this year amid growing fears about protectionism as the economic crisis bites.
Offer more to end WTO deadlock, Nath tells EU, US
Commerce & industry minister Kamal Nath has said that the architecture of the Doha round of multilateral negotiations could not be changed.
Nath to visit Geneva to take WTO talks forward
WTO has swung into action to revive the stalled trade talks and Commerce Minister Kamal Nath will go to Geneva this week as part of the consensus building exercise among the key players at the trade body.
Load More
