India took tough stand at WTO to protect poor: PM
10 Aug 2014 10:46 PM GMT
Prime Minister Narandra Modi said on Saturday that the Government ‘chose’ to take a tough stand in the recent WTO talks as it has to protect the interest of the poor people of the country rather than to look for good publicity in the international media.
‘There are attempts to spread doubts on WTO. Should we choose in favour of our farmers or for getting good international publicity in the media? We have chosen the former. We have chosen the interest of the poor people of the country,’ Modi said at the BJP’s National Council meeting here.
Last month, the WTO talks in Geneva failed on account of the tough stand taken by India on its food security issue. New Delhi refused to ratify the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), which aims at easing customs procedures and is dear to the developed world. The Western media criticised India’s WTO stand, saying it would jeopardise the Bali agreement and hurt WTO’s credibility.
‘There are attempts to spread doubts on WTO. Should we choose in favour of our farmers or for getting good international publicity in the media? We have chosen the former. We have chosen the interest of the poor people of the country,’ Modi said at the BJP’s National Council meeting here.
Last month, the WTO talks in Geneva failed on account of the tough stand taken by India on its food security issue. New Delhi refused to ratify the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), which aims at easing customs procedures and is dear to the developed world. The Western media criticised India’s WTO stand, saying it would jeopardise the Bali agreement and hurt WTO’s credibility.
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