Why are India and other developing countries concerned about the Doha agenda? Analyse the Doha Development Round?

The Doha Development Round or Doha Development Agenda (DDA) is the current trade-negotiation round of the World Trade Organization (WTO) which commenced in November 2001. Its objective is to lower trade barriers around the world, which will help facilitate the increase of global trade. As of today, talks have stalled over a divide on major issues, such as agriculture, industrial tariffs and non-tariff barriers, services, and trade remedies. Concerns of India and other developing countries regarding the Doha Agenda: India and other developing countries claim that they have had problems with the implementation of the agreements reached in the earlier Uruguay Round because of limited capacity or lack of technical assistance. Agriculture has become the key issue for India and developing and developed countries. India was also concerned about compulsory licensing of medicines and patent protection. Another issue is related to a review of provisions giving special and differential treatment to developing countries. India and other developing countries were also concerned about problems faced in implementing current trade obligations. At the Doha meeting, the Ministerial Declaration directed a two-path approach for the large number of remaining issues: (a) where a specific negotiating mandate is provided, the relevant implementation issues will be addressed under that mandate; and (b) the other outstanding implementation issues will be addressed as a matter of priority by the relevant WTO bodies.