CENTRE ASKS WTO TO FRAME SERVICE NORMS

With US and Australia raising trade barriers by making its difficult for Indian IT workers to get visa, country is now pushing for a WTO-backed global framework to facilitate services trade.

Commerce and industry minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday that countries are now very clearly raising protectionist walls as regards service trade.

“And it is time that we have a global framework within which trade in services can happen. We will be actively pursuing our proposal in the WTO,” said the minister.

India had put a concept paper for trade facilitation in services on 6 October at WTO.

Trade facilitation in services will cover discrepancies in trade in services as well as procedural and administrative issues and principles that apply to all.

Services sector contributes over 60 per cent to the Indian GDP and 28 per cent to total employment. TFS will focus on issues like liberalised visa regime, long-term visas for business community and freer movement of professionals for the greater benefit of both India and the world, among others.

On new rules on H1B visa signed by US president Donald Trump, Ms Sitharaman said that finance minister, who is in the US, would take up the matter with the US administration.

The minister said that her ministry is in touch with the Indian industry on visa issues, which Assocham has said will hit jobs in the country. "It is not just the US, but several countries now adopting such measures," she said. The minister said India would engage with these countries to sort out the visa related matters.

She also said that at this stage, India will engage constructively with these countries. “At the same time, India will ensure that it will not accept unfair treatment,” the minister added. And it is time that we have a global framework within which trade in services can happen. We will be actively pursuing our proposal in the WTO

NIRMALA SITHARAMAN Union commerce minister