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Doha declaration not to delay economic reforms in India: Maran

Commerce and Industry Minister Murasoli Maran on Friday said the Doha declaration of the World Trade Organisation would in no way delay the second-generation economic reforms in India.

''We should broaden and deepen the reforms process on our own. This is the lesson we learnt at Doha,'' Maran told reporters while giving details of the WTO ministerial meeting at Doha where he had led the Indian delegation.

''External pressures are not necessary'' to keep the reforms process going in the country, the minister said in reply to a question whether the concessions wrested by India and other developing countries would slacken the process within the country.

Maran admitted that the Doha meet was on the verge of collapse when Europe was pressing for immediate negotiations on trade and investment and trade competition.

"We were against this'' as a study group was already going into all the four Singapore issues.

''There was a time when we all thought it would collapse,'' he said.

Asked about the likely impact of China's entry into WTO on other countries, Maran said it would pose a challenge not only to India but also to the United States, Europe and East Asian countries and force them to improve their competitiveness.

He said India and China had a lot of common ground on which they could work together to their mutual benefit.

To a question, he said China's accession to the WTO and the bargaining power of India were the highlights of the Doha meet.

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