India seeks fair WTO pact on fish subsidies, says limited S&DT inappropriate, unaffordable, unacceptable

India on Thursday sought an equitable global agreement to end harmful fish subsidies and told the World Trade Organization (WTO) that limiting Special & Differential Treatment (S&DT) to poor and artisanal fishermen only is not appropriate, acceptable, or affordable and that the sustainability-based approach for subsidies that contribute to overcapacity or overfishing is "unequal, unfair and unjust" as it would lead to capacity constraints for developing countries.
Speaking strongly for the rights of developing countries at the ministerial meeting of the WTO on the crucial fisheries subsidy negotiations, commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal said that countries like India who are yet to develop fishing capacities, cannot sacrifice their future ambitions.