Professional Documents
Culture Documents
2. Agriculture export
• Reduction of trade barrier and domestic subsidies
raise the price of agricultural products in
international market, India hopes to benefit from this
in the form of higher export earning from agriculture.
WTO & its Impact on Indian Economy
3. Textile and Clothing
• Textiles and clothing. The phasing out of the MFA (Multi
Fiber Arrangements) will help the developing countries
like India to increase the export of textile and clothing.
4.Foreign direct investment
• As per the TRIMs agreement, restrictions on foreign
investment have been withdrawn by the member nations
of the WTO.
• This has benefited developing countries by way of
foreign direct investment and portfolio investment.
• In 2008-09 the net foreign direct investment in India
was 35 billion US$.
WTO & its Impact on Indian Economy
Unfavorable Impact
1. TRIPs (Trade Related aspects of
Intellectual Property)
• Protection of intellectual property rights has been
of the major concerns of the WTO. As a member
of the WTO, India has to comply with the
TRIPs standards.
• The agreement on TRIPs goes against the Indian
patent act 1970, in the following way.
WTO & its Impact on Indian Economy
1. Pharmaceutical sector
• Under the Indian patent act 1970, only process
patents are granted to chemicals, drugs and
medicines. Thus, a company can legally manufacture
once it had the product patent.
• So Indian pharmaceutical companies could sell good
quality products at low prices.
• However under TRIPs agreement, product patents
will also be granted that will raise the prices
of medicines, thus keeping them out of reach of the
poor people, fortunately, most of drugs manufactured
in India are off – patents and so will be less affected.
WTO & its Impact on Indian Economy
ii. Agriculture
• Since the agreement on TRIPs extends to agriculture
as well; it will have considerable implications on
Indian agriculture. The MNC, with their huge financial
resources may also take over seed production & will
eventually control food production.
• Since a large majority of Indian population depends
on agriculture for their livelihood, these developments
will have serious consequences.
• Micro – organisms: under TRIPs agreement patenting
has been extended to micro organisms as well. These
mills largely benefit MNCs & not developing countries
like India.
WTO & its Impact on Indian Economy