India, developmental multilateralism and the Doha ministerial conference

Abstract

Despite its growing status as an 'emerging' power, perceptions of India's current and future role in multilateral organizations continue to be overshadowed by its reputation for blocking rather than supporting progress in multilateral negotiations on grounds of national sovereignty and Third Worldism. In this article we suggest a more positive interpretation of India's role through a close analysis of its diplomacy during the 2001 Doha Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The Indian delegation attempted proactively to shape the agenda of the negotiations and to promote a form of developmental multilateralism that might correct the perceived imbalances within the substantive commitments to and structure and processes of the WTO. India failed to get its way at the time, but the ongoing deadlock at Doha demonstrates the continuing salience of such alternative conceptions of global justice.

International Posturing amidst Domestic Neglect: India's Agricultural Policy Examined

“…For instance, Conceição-Heldt (2013) argues that the food and livelihood security of 700 million farmers is behind India's protectionist stance. Other scholars have also noted that India's international policy remains driven by the need to protect the vulnerable agriculture sector, even as India promotes liberalization of other sectors like services (Efstathopoulos and Kelly, 2014; Narlikar, 2006). Others have located India's approach as one of a ‘colonial mindset’ and argue that influential domestic interests resist globalization through the WTO, being unaware and hence wary of the full implications of the new trade regime (Hurrell and Narlikar, 2006).…”

“…India has maintained an active interest in the agriculture negotiations at the WTO since as early as the pre-Seattle round (WTO, 1998b(WTO, , 1998a. Together with active participation in the privileged 'Green Room' for developing pre-ministerial consensus (Efstathopoulos and Kelly, 2014;Hopewell, 2015), India's submissions on agriculture have often exceeded those on other aspects of trade negotiations (Chakraborty, 2010). Its comprehensive submission in 2001 covering all aspects of agriculture negotiations, remains one of the longest and most elaborate proposals made by any member (WTO, 2001).…”

“…India's overall negotiating approach has been to forge broad-based coalitions with other developing country members. Given its economically dominant position and a willingness to provide 'club goods' to coalition members such as maintaining coalition unity and offering technical support (Narlikar, 2011(Narlikar, : 1616, India has often joined forces with many diverse groups of developing country coalitions such as the Like-Minded Group (LMG), South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC), the G-77 as a key leader and even engaged with the Asian Developing Members, African Group, G-90 and the LDCs to raise specific issues (Efstathopoulos and Kelly, 2014). Prior to the 11th Ministerial Conference at Buenos Aires, India joined China to submit a detailed proposal on a wide range of issues aimed at reducing distortions in global agricultural trade (WTO, 2017b).…”

Least-Developed Countries in a World of Global Value Chains: Are WTO Trade Negotiations Helping?

“…DG Roberto Azevedo, however, failed in the effort of ensuring that all negotiations were completed before the start of MC9 -as India's position on food security in the Agreement on Agriculture caused negotiations to break down in November 2013 (Efstathopoulos & Kelly 2014). By that time, the draft texts for most of the agreements had been settled, and only Section 1 of the trade facilitation agreement still contained bracketed text to be agreed upon.…”

Recalcitrant spoiler? Contesting dominant accounts of India’s role in global trade governance

“…Such characterizations of India are far from new; India-bashing has been a persistent feature throughout the Doha Round, with India targeted as a scapegoat and naysayer since the start. 13 India has been exceptionally vocal and assertive in standing up to the US, positioning itself as a leader of the developing world and mobilising major coalitions of developing countries to challenge US dominance within the WTO. 14 American negotiators have responded to India's activism by dismissing it as a 'won't do' country engaged in a 'third-world chest thumping festival' .…”