India pushes its case at WTO headquarters in Geneva

A team of officials has recently visited WTO headquarters in Geneva for discussion on issues of India's interest, including the proposed trade facilitation pact in services.

India has recently tabled a proposal at the WTO for an agreement on trade facilitation in services (TFS), Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

"A team of capital-based officers has visited Geneva for discussion on issues of India's interest, including TFS," she said. The TFS proposal aims at liberalising rules for movement of professionals and other steps to reduce transaction costs to boost growth of the services sector.

India is pitching for this trade facilitation agreement in services as the sector contributes over 60 per cent to the GDP and 28 per cent to total employment. The move is aimed at developing a broader framework governing global services in trade just like a TFA on goods.

TFS will focus on issues like liberalised visa regime, long-term visas for business community and freer movement of professionals.