‘Breakthrough’ in Doha trade talks achieved: Anand Sharma

September 4th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Top officials of the 153 members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) will meet in Geneva later this month after a "breakthrough" was reached to resume the Doha Round of trade talks, India's Commerce Minister Anand Sharma said Friday. "We have reached an agreement to intensify negotiations.

September 4th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The informal meeting of the trade and commerce ministers of key World Trade Organisation (WTO) member countries agreed on Friday to resume negotiations on September 14 in Geneva. The negotiators will hold the meeting for a week beginning September 14, sources said.

September 4th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Top officials of the 153 members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) will meet in Geneva later this month after a breakthrough was reached to resume the Doha round of trade talks, India's Commerce Minister Anand Sharma said Friday. We have reached an agreement to intensify negotiations.

September 1st, 2009 BRUSSELS - European Union's (EU) Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton and Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel will travel to New Delhi Wednesday to take part in an informal meeting of WTO (World Trade Organisations) ministers hosted by the Indian government, the EuAsiaNews reported. The meeting will seek to give a renewed push to the Doha Round of world trade talks, building on decisions taken by G20 leaders in London earlier this year, the European Commission said in a statement here Tuesday.

July 29th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Commerce Minister Anand Sharma said he was looking forward to hosting the September meeting among global trade ministers to put the derailed global trade talks back on track. India had proposed to host the mini-ministerial meeting of the 153-member World Trade Organisation (WTO) at the G20 Summit in London, which was attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, where leaders agreed to give a political push to trade talks.

July 9th, 2009 L'AQUILA - The groups of rich and developing countries, including India, are likely to commit themselves to early conclusion of the Doha Development Round of multilateral trade talks under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) later Thursday. A statement in this regard to this effect is expected from the G8 and G5 countries, as well as Egypt, at the G8 Summit being held at this quake-hit Italian city, some 100 km northeast of Rome.

June 26th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Protectionist measures by the developed economies will have an adverse impact on the downturn, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma has said, even as he reaffirmed India's commitment to the successful conclusion of the Doha Round of trade talks. In his address at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) ministerial meet in Paris Thursday, Sharma said a rule-based multilateral trading system, which is fair and equitable and addresses aspirations of developing countries, was required with respect to the stalled Doha Round.

June 19th, 2009 WASHINGTON - India will look to find a middle ground in the global trade talks in the quest for a "fair solution acceptable to all parties", Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma said here, insisting that New Delhi never wanted the talks to collapse. Asserting that India had never wanted the Doha Round of World Trade talks to collapse, New Delhi hopes that a common meeting ground would be found to provide a level playing field to the developing countries.

June 19th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Asserting that New Delhi had never wanted the Doha Round of World Trade talks to collapse, India has expressed the hope that a common meeting ground would be found to provide a level playing field to the developing countries. The Doha round had a hit a logjam because of non-convergence on many issues, but now there is recognition of the sensitivities of the developing countries, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma told a press conference here Thursday.

June 18th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Indian firms have contributed $105 billion (Rs.5.25 lakh crore) to the US economy between 2004 and 2007 apart from creating 300,000 jobs, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma said here late Wednesday. In his address at the US-India Business Council (USIBC) summit, Sharma cited the findings of a study on India Inc's role in the US and said: "During the period 2004-07, the Indian industry had contributed $105 billion to the US economy and created 300,000 jobs." He also released the study, "Contribution of the Indian industry to the US economy", which has been prepared for the India Brand Equity Foundation, an organisation set up by the commerce ministry and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) to build positive economic perceptions of India globally.

June 15th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Commerce and Industries Minister Anand Sharma will leave for the US Monday night to discuss a range of trade related issues, including revival of the Doha Round of trade negotiations. According to a statement issued by the commerce ministry, Sharma will address a high-level meeting of the US-India Business Council in Washington June 17.

June 11th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The government is committed to reviving the manufacturing sector and generating employment as well as resuming the stalled global trade talks, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma said here Thursday. We need to encourage the manufacturing sector and industrial activities for providing more employment in the country, he told industrialists at an interaction organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

June 8th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Moves to restart stalled global trade talks have begun with a series of meetings in Bali on the sidelines of a conference among 19 farm products exporting countries, where Commerce Minister Anand Sharma is representing India. Sharma had bilateral talks with several of his counterparts at the luxury beach resort of Nusa Dua on Bali island, including US Trade Representative Ron Kirk, to restart the trade talks, officials here said.

June 8th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Anand Sharma on Monday reiterated Indian commitment to the successful conclusion of the Doha process through a constructive engagement. He stated this in his special address to the Cairns group in Bali.

May 29th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Minister for Commerce (trade) and Industry, Anand Sharma on Friday said that the Government would take all possible steps to stabilise Indian economy in times of global recession. Addressing media after taking charge of his office, Minister for Commerce and Industry said the government will take every possible step to ensure a steady Indian economy, particularly at a time when recessionary trends have upset overall industry and trade around the globe.