“The broader aims and objectives of WTO are to manage and promote international trade in the era of globalization. But the Doha round of negotiations seem doomed due to differences between the developed and the developing countries.” Discuss in the Indian perspective.
Approach · directive: “discuss”
What it asks · Explain the WTO's role, why the Doha Development Agenda stalled over North-South differences, and where India's interests and stand lie.
It asks 3 things — answer each
- Discuss the WTO's broader aims and objectives in managing and promoting international trade
- Discuss why the Doha Round seems doomed by developed–developing country differences
- Give the Indian perspective: India's interests, stand and way forward
Open with · The Marrakesh Agreement set up the WTO to expand trade so developing countries share in its growth; the Doha Round began in November 2001.
Cover
- WTO's aims: non-discriminatory rules (MFN, national treatment), negotiated liberalisation, binding dispute settlement and special and differential treatment for developing members.
- Doha stalemate: farm subsidies, NAMA and services; a July 2008 Geneva mini-ministerial failed when Indian and US ministers disagreed on an agricultural safeguard.
- Mandate split: at Nairobi (December 2015) some members refused to reaffirm the Doha mandates and sought 'new approaches' and new issues.
- Agriculture: India and the G-33 seek Special Products and a Special Safeguard Mechanism to protect small farmers from import surges.
- Food security: the Bali peace clause (2013) stays in force until a permanent solution is found (General Council, November 2014).
- Gains and strategy: Nairobi's decision to abolish farm export subsidies; India builds coalitions, backs multilateralism and pursues regional options.
Close with · SDG target 17.10 commits the world to a rules-based, equitable WTO system, including concluding the Doha Development Agenda; India's interest lies there.
Add value (verified)
- The Nairobi Ministerial Declaration (December 2015) openly recorded the split: many members reaffirmed the Doha mandate while others refused, wanting 'new approaches'.WTO, Nairobi Ministerial Declaration, WT/MIN(15)/DEC, 19 December 2015, para 30 ↗“Other Members do not reaffirm the Doha mandates, as they believe new approaches are necessary to achieve meaningful outcomes in multilateral negotiations. Members have different views on how to address the negotiations.”
- The Marrakesh Agreement's preamble recognises the need to ensure developing countries share in the growth of world trade.WTO, Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization, Preamble ↗“positive efforts designed to ensure that developing countries, and especially the least developed among them, secure a share in the growth in international trade commensurate with the needs of their economic development”
- The July 2008 Geneva mini-ministerial nearly concluded the Doha Round but failed over an Indian–US disagreement on an agricultural safeguard.WTO, A History of Law and Policy, Chapter 12: The conduct of the Doha Round ↗“A mini-ministerial in Geneva comes close to solving the round but fails when the Indian and US ministers disagree on an agricultural safeguard”
- The General Council (November 2014) made the Bali peace clause on public stockholding last until a permanent solution is found.WTO news, General Council, 27 November 2014 ↗“It makes clear that peace clause which was agreed in Bali will remain in force until a permanent solution is found.”
- Nairobi (December 2015) committed members to abolish export subsidies for farm exports.WTO news, Nairobi Ministerial Conference, 19 December 2015 ↗“These include a commitment to abolish export subsidies for farm exports, which Director-General Roberto Azevêdo hailed as the “most significant outcome on agriculture” in the organization’s 20-year his”
- SDG target 17.10 calls for a rules-based, equitable multilateral trading system under the WTO, including concluding the Doha Development Agenda.United Nations, Sustainable Development Goal 17 - targets and indicators ↗“Promote a universal, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system under the World Trade Organization, including through the con”
- The Doha Round was launched by the Doha Ministerial Declaration on 14 November 2001.WTO, The WTO at Twenty / History of the WTO, chapter 12 (Key events in the Doha Round) ↗“14 November 2001 The round is launched by the Doha Ministerial Declaration.”
Question: UPSC's CS (Main) 2016, GS Paper II — paper ↗. Approach: Minimalist IAS, checked 3 Oct 2026 (how we verify) — UPSC publishes no model answers. ·
Model answer· 292words · Minimalist IAS
The Marrakesh Agreement created the WTO to raise living standards and expand trade, so that developing countries 'secure a share in the growth in international trade'. The Doha Round, launched in November 2001 as a development round, has stalled instead.
How the WTO manages and promotes trade
- Non-discrimination: most-favoured-nation and national treatment keep trade predictable.
- Liberalisation: negotiated cuts in barriers across goods, services and intellectual property.
- Enforcement: binding dispute settlement, used by India, a founding member.
- Development: special and differential treatment for developing members.
Why the Doha Round seems doomed
- Farm subsidies: rich countries keep large support while seeking market access from emerging economies.
- Safeguard deadlock: a July 2008 Geneva mini-ministerial came close, but failed when Indian and US ministers disagreed on an agricultural safeguard.
- Mandate split: at Nairobi (December 2015) some members refused to reaffirm the Doha mandates, seeking 'new approaches' and new issues.
| Issue | Developed countries | India and developing countries |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | Market access first | Cut rich-country subsidies first |
| Food stocks | Strict subsidy limits | Policy space for MSP procurement |
| Agenda | New issues, plurilateral deals | Finish the Doha mandate |
The Indian perspective
- Farm livelihoods: with the G-33, India seeks Special Products and a Special Safeguard Mechanism against import surges.
- Food security: the Bali peace clause (2013) shields public stockholding; the General Council (November 2014) extended it until a permanent solution.
- Real gains: Nairobi's decision to abolish farm export subsidies shows the forum can still deliver.
Way forward for India
- Coalitions and hedging: keep the G-33 and developing-country coalitions united, support trade facilitation, and pursue regional and bilateral deals in parallel.
A stalled round is not a failed WTO. SDG target 17.10 seeks a rules-based, equitable trading system under the WTO, including concluding the Doha agenda; India's farmers and exporters need exactly that.
Prepared by Minimalist IAS to the answer standard of Shivam Singh (mentor, 7 years) · facts checked against official sources (how we verify) · updated 3 Oct 2026. UPSC publishes no model answers: compare your structure and coverage with this, then write your own.
