India has cautioned World Trade Organisation (WTO) members against weaponising “transparency” to justify trade retaliation or challenge legitimate domestic policies, saying it should be backed by sustained capacity-building support to ensure that all countries meet obligations fairly and effectively.“Transparency” is a key component of the technical barriers to trade agreement of the WTO. The US has been pushing for stricter rules on mandatory disclosures as part of the WTO reform proposal. Developing member nations of the WTO agree in principle that transparency is important, but have serious reservations about how the US wants to implement it.“India has cautioned WTO members against weaponising transparency to justify trade retaliation or challenge legitimate domestic policies, saying it must be backed by sustained capacity-building support to ensure all members, especially developing countries, can meet obligations fairly and effectively,” the commerce ministry said in a statement.The issue was flagged on March 27 by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal in a session on ‘level-playing field issues’ of the 14th ministerial conference (MC14), which is underway in Yaounde, Cameroon.Goyal further said that fisheries in India were a vital source of livelihood and food security, supporting more than 9 million fishermen, largely comprising small, traditional and artisanal fishermen practising sustainable methods.Goyal spoke about India’s “balanced and people-centric approach” to fisheries governance at the conference. “Emphasised that fisheries in India are a vital source of livelihood and food security, supporting more than 9 million fishermen, largely comprising small, traditional and artisanal fishermen practising sustainable methods,” Goyal wrote on his official X account.According to the post, the minister highlighted India’s proactive and historical conservation efforts, including the annual fishing ban, demonstrating the country’s long-standing commitment to sustainability well before it became a global priority.“Underscored that the challenge of overcapacity and overfishing arises from heavily subsidised industrial fleets, and not from small-scale fishermen in India and other developing countries. Emphasised the need to ensure that emerging decisions remain fair and do not disproportionately impact vulnerable communities,” the post added.He also extended India’s support for the adoption of the draft decision, while emphasising that further decisions must deliver an equitable and development-oriented outcome that protects both marine resources and livelihoods.(With inputs from PTI)