While an agreement was recently reached at the WTO on a deal to curb "harmful" government fisheries subsidies, certain concerns raised by India suggests that the matter will require further negotiations. Discuss.

1. WTO recognised that certain fisheries were unsustainable in the long run and could be harmful
2. WTO however did allow for certain subsidies by countries like India to help their fisheries sector
3. These subsidies (which were allowed) were

given for a temporary period (x 2024 → till next meeting of the conference)

1. An agreement thus was made to boost sustainability of fisheries in sync of SDG14

Concerns Raised by India

1. While India does recognise the unsustainability of harmful subsidies;

2. However, India wanted that the useful subsidies to boost fishery industry should not have been in temporary form (as given by WTO)

3. Also, India wanted to delink the economic aspect of trade with the environment aspect of trade

4. Thus, India wanted a balance on these two fronts.

Way Ahead

1. More deliberations on the issue of fishery sector

2. For case of India, India can boost the sector by initiatives like → Kisan Credit Card → extended to fisheries → Promoting Blue Revolution → Aquaculture Development Fund → strengthening MPEDA for boosting marine section → Boosting shrimp farming

3. India can collaborate with BIMSTEC