India pushes WTO to formalise technology transfer commitments ahead of 14th Ministerial Conference

In a communication submitted to the WTO and published by WTO on 2 March, India proposed that members agree on a structured and time-bound process to facilitate access to advanced technologies, particularly environmentally sound technologies (ESTs), arguing that technology gaps are limiting the ability of developing countries to secure a fair share in global trade.

The draft declaration underscores that while technology is central to competitiveness in modern trade, access remains concentrated in developed economies, with barriers ranging from restrictive export controls on inputs such as semiconductor chips and rare earth minerals to high costs, funding constraints, and intellectual property-related hurdles.

India has based its proposal on earlier WTO ministerial decisions. It referred to paragraph 37 of the 2001 Doha ministerial declaration and paragraph 43 of the 2005 Hong Kong ministerial declaration, both of which recognised the need for technology transfer and special treatment for developing and least developed countries.

It also called for a detailed examination of provisions relating to technology transfer across key WTO agreements including the TRIPS Agreement, the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), the Agreement on Agriculture, the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Agreement and the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement with a view to identifying technological gaps and barriers.

As per the draft, India also sought practical recommendations and a time-bound roadmap to be presented to the next ministerial conference through the general council. It also urged developed members to put in place measures, without undue delay, to facilitate the transfer of relevant and advanced technologies and to report such measures to the working group.

The proposal also seeks to make technology transfer a standing agenda item of the WTO General Council, thereby institutionalising the issue within the WTO’s regular work programme.

Experts said by invoking earlier ministerial mandates, New Delhi is positioning its proposal as a continuation — and operationalisation — of unfinished commitments from previous WTO ministerial conferences rather than presenting it as a new demand.

Amit Singh, associate professor at the Special Centre for National Security Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, said, “By placing technology transfer at the centre of the MC14 agenda, India is attempting to frame access to advanced technologies as a trade and development issue, arguing that without meaningful technology flows, developing countries risk remaining peripheral to high-value segments of global trade."

Rakesh Mohan Joshi, vice chancellor of the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), said, “India’s move reflects a broader concern among developing countries that technology access is becoming the new fault line in global trade. As advanced technologies increasingly shape competitiveness, export potential and compliance with regulatory standards, the gap in access can translate directly into a trade disadvantage."

"By pushing for a structured discussion and roadmap within the WTO, India is seeking to bring development concerns back into the centre of the multilateral trade debate,” Joshi added.

The WTO has 164 member countries and serves as the primary international body governing trade rules between nations. It provides a platform for negotiating trade agreements, resolving trade disputes, monitoring national trade policies, and promoting transparency in global commerce.

Queries sent to the commerce ministry remained unanswered at the time of publishing.