The Hindu : National : BJP fears renewed U.S. pressure at WTO

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Tuesday, Jun 30, 2009
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BJP fears renewed U.S. pressure at WTO

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party fears renewed pressure from the United States and other developed countries on India to change its stand on agriculture related issues at the World Trade Organisation, when the stalled negotiations resume.

The party said it would be detrimental to the interests of Indian farmers if trade in agricultural produce was opened without first settling the issue of the huge subsidies given to the sector by developed countries.

Party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said the U.S. gave subsidies of about $8 billion annually, and that it could be planning to increase this substantially.

Mr. Javadekar said there were indications that “India is dithering,” meaning it could succumb to pressure from the West. He said he had gathered information during his recent visit to the U.S. as a member of a parliamentary delegation.

The BJP feared import of heavily subsidised cheap agricultural produce into India, ruining domestic agriculture, which was burdened by uncertainties of the monsoon and growing cost of inputs.

Mr. Javadekar said political consensus through the previous National Democratic Alliance and the United Progressive Alliance governments was in favour of India maintaining that high subsidies on agriculture by developed countries must go or be substantially reduced, before India could agree to open its doors to free trade of agricultural produce.

He also warned that the Obama administration would be pressing for a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

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