-The Telegraph New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today accused the developed nations of a "disinformation campaign" to "isolate" India for refusing to toe their line at the World Trade Organisation, painting his government before a domestic political audience as a champion of the poor. Addressing a party meeting weeks before his US trip next month, Modi pitched the recent controversy at the Global Trade body as a battle between the haves...

-The Financial Express World Bank's latest data suggests realisation of millenium development goals may not be far off. Reduction of poverty and hence, how it is measured, has long been a contentious political economy issue in India. There is general discomfort every time the headcount ratio of the number of poor, based upon an accepted methodology recommended by an expert committee, declines; this then triggers a process to revisit known issues by...

-Business World   The WTO Bali deal is ultimately a battle between food for the poor and trade for the rich The current global uproar at India's refusal to ratify the Trade Facilitation Agreement of the WTO Bali Declaration is a classic example of how meticulously orchestrated media hype and misdirected "expert opinions" attempt to pressurise developing countries into submission at global negotiations. India's primary interest is the food security proposal for ensuring...

-Thomson Reuters India is confident that it will be able to persuade members of the 160-strong World Trade Organisation to understand its concerns over food security which derailed a Global Trade deal last week, said Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in parliament today. The minister explained India's stand: that the Bali trade accord, an agreement reached on the Indonesian tourist island last year, should be concluded as a package, linking India's ratification of...

-Down to Earth Last year, when commerce minister of UPA government had agreed to the trade facilitation pact pushed by developed countries, it was perceived as compromising the interests of poor nations that need to stockpile foodgrains for public food programmes After weeks of speculation on whether India would sign on the dotted line, the new World Trade Organisation agreement to ease worldwide customs rules collapsed late Thursday night in Geneva. Many (including...