Expressing disappointment over the slow progress in the Doha Round of talks for opening global trade, India on Sunday said the WTO members have again missed the opportunity to conclude the deal this year.
Leaders of the world's most influential countries, including the US and the European Union, Brazil and India had agreed for concluding WTO talks for a multi-lateral agreement in 2011.
“Earlier this year, there was a window of opportunity. Unfortunately the progress has been less than encouraging, disappointing,” the Commerce and Industry Minister, Mr Anand Sharma, told PTI here.
However, he said that the member nations would remain engaged and review the talks in the next Ministerial Meeting of the World Trade Organisation in Geneva in December.
Trade ministers of all 153 member nations are expected to attend the Ministerial Meeting, the highest policy making organ of the multi-lateral trade body.
“...there has been a reaffirmation in the last mini-ministerial in Paris to remain engaged, to take it (Doha Round) forward and try to conclude it as a single undertaking,” Mr Sharma said, adding soon trade ministers from some countries would visit New Delhi to discuss the issues.