In the rapidly evolving stage of world trade, India needs to
redefine its role from one that reacts to events, to one that
shapes the same. The challenges to this are many: India is
currently facing a spate of disputes at the WTO; its status as a
developing country entitled to special and differential treatment
is being questioned by a few countries, and; the development agenda
for WTO reform on issues ranging from services to agriculture set
forth at the Doha Round in 2001, remains unfinished.
Since the 11th Ministerial Conference in 2017, the format
for negotiations at the WTO has also changed with the mushrooming
of 'joint ministerial grounds'- which are informal groups
dedicated to discussions on E-commerce, Investment Facilitation,
Domestic Regulation in Services, and micro, small and medium
enterprises (MSMEs). India has been sceptical about engaging with
such issues, the concern being that when there is unfinished
business under the WTO's Doha Agenda, Members
