India to host informal WTO Ministerial gathering in March

Trade ministers from various countries including Australia, Japan and Switzerland met today for an informal WTO ministerial gathering in Davos to discuss the way forward for the global trade organisation, with India offering to host another such meeting in March.

The meeting, also attended by the US Trade Representative

Robert Lighthizer, was held on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual summit. India was represented by Deepak Jagdish Saksena, ambassador and permanent



representative to the WTO.

It was also felt that the WTO is facing significant challenges and fundamental reflections are required at the political level on major issues of divergence.Beside, the ministers reaffirmed their willingness to pursue their engagement on WTO and to address key issues.

In this context, India announced that it will host an informal WTO Ministerial gathering in March.The meeting would be held in New Delhi on March 19-20.