Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu, will participate in the G-20, Trade and Investment Ministerial Meeting, being held in Mar del Plata in Argentina on 14^th – 15^th September 2018. The meeting will provide an opportunity for a dialogue on current developments in international trade and its implications for the global economy. The Ministerial Meeting will discuss about building an inclusive trade system that contributes to sustainable and shared growth. Trade and investment must benefit all and countries must jointly address both the opportunities and challenges of globalization, innovation and technological advancements. The Ministerial Meeting will examine the inter relationship between trade and development with a special emphasis on the need to promote further integration of small and medium sized companies into international trade, and the opportunities posed by the digital economy and new technologies.   

Ahead of the meeting, the Commerce Minister said that India will work along with other countries to reform WTO and ensure that it continues to be an engine for global trade. The Minister further said that India looks forward to working with all member countries for an agreeable, forward looking, reform agenda. Through the G-20 forum India will take this idea forward in mission mode. Further, the key issues that will be discussed in the Ministerial Meeting include global value chains, the new industrial revolution and the international trade outlook. The multilateral trading system is facing unprecedented challenges in the wake of protectionist measures by some countries, which is not compatible with the WTO.

G-20 is made up of 19 countries and the EU. The countries are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. The other invited members are Chile, Netherlands, Spain and representatives of regional groups of Jamaica, Rwanda, Singapore and Senegal. 

G-20 members represent 75% of international trade, half of foreign direct investment flows, half of foreign flows and 80% of global production.

WTO reform as a priority: push for a forward looking multilateral trade reform agenda to address protectionism and digital economy challenges. WTO reform and a forward looking multilateral trade agenda are identified as primary priorities, with emphasis on countering protectionist measures and strengthening the multilateral trading system. The Ministerial will promote an inclusive trade system to integrate small and medium sized enterprises into international trade and leverage the digital economy and new technologies, addressing global value chains, the new industrial revolution and the international trade outlook through G 20 cooperation.