SCO trade ministers’ meet: India cautions against weaponising export measures; reaffirms WTO-centred fair trade system – The Times of India

India has cautioned against the misuse of export-related measures to create artificial scarcity, distort markets, or disrupt supply chains at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Trade Ministers’ Meeting held in Vladivostok on Saturday.According to a statement by the commerce ministry released on Sunday, India stressed that “export-related measures should not be weaponised or misused to create artificial scarcity, distort markets, or disrupt supply chains, and emphasised that their calibrated and transparent use is essential to maintain trust in international commerce”.At the meeting, India also called for addressing persistent trade deficits by ensuring greater market access, simplifying processes for trade facilitation and enhancing cooperation on standards. The concerns are particularly relevant as India’s auto and electronics sector has faced disruptions due to China’s export restrictions on rare earth magnets and fertilisers.India’s trade deficit with China widened to nearly $100 billion in 2024-25, PTI reported. With the SCO accounting for 42 per cent of the world’s population and 17.2 per cent of global trade, India underlined the need for coordinated action to improve trade flows, reduce vulnerabilities and foster inclusive growth across the region.Representing India at the meeting, Amitabh Kumar, additional secretary, department of commerce, highlighted the importance of an open, fair, inclusive and non-discriminatory multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core. He emphasised a development-centred agenda, including a permanent solution on Public Stockholding for food security, effective Special and Differential Treatment for developing countries, and restoring a fully functional two-tier WTO dispute settlement system, as per the statement.On digital trade, India proposed SCO workstreams to build fair, transparent and predictable regulatory frameworks, along with voluntary cooperation on best practices and capacity-building for secure digitalisation. India also showcased its achievements in Digital Public Infrastructure, such as UPI for real-time payments, India Stack, and ONDC, projecting them as low-cost and replicable models for SCO nations.India further stressed that trade-linked climate measures should not result in “arbitrary or unjustified discrimination”. It also emphasised the role of services trade, skilled professional mobility, and MSME integration into global value chains to strengthen inclusive growth.Reaffirming its commitment, India thanked the Russian Presidency for advancing the trade and economic agenda and expressed readiness to work under Tajikistan’s upcoming chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of Government to promote sustainable regional growth.