India warns of backing out on WTO offers

NEW DELHI, JUNE 6 - India has warned that it may withdraw some of its services offers if developed countries do not respond to its requests in the area of off-shore services (mode 1) and movement of workers and professionals (mode 4).

In a seminar of the services negotiations at the WTO organised by Icrier, commerce secretary SN Menon said India was looking forward to a balanced outcome. He said India expected the offers, scheduled to be submitted next month, to correct the existing imbalance.

'We have not received satisfactory offers from our trading partners in our main areas of interests-mode 4 and mode 1. We may go back on the offers that we have placed on the table,' Mr Menon said.

On an optimistic note, however, he added that India expected co-operation from developed countries especially in movement of natural persons, which was of primary interest to India.

The secretary explained that till developed countries improve their offers, it would be difficult for India to expand its offers by including new sectors and improving existing commitments.

WTO members are supposed to submit their revised offers in services by July 31 and their final schedules by October-end.

India has so far received 14 plurilateral requests for liberalising a whole range of sectors, including telecom, financial services, energy, legal, maritime, retail, education, environment and construction.

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