WTO talks: Stalemate over e-comm moratorium
| Photo Credit:
DENIS BALIBOUSE
The moratorium muddle
The dust is settling after the WTO MC14 in Yaoundé, Cameroon, but the controversy around extension of the moratorium on e-commerce duties seems to be getting more complicated. India walked in saying it needed to re-consider the extension as the moratorium leads to significant revenue loss, especially since “e-transmission” remains vaguely defined while its scope is ballooning.
The US Trade Representative pushed hard for a permanent ban, eventually offering a compromise proposal of extension till December 31, 2030.
To avoid being singled out as a spoiler, India quietly fell in line with the 2030 extension, leaving the harder resistance to Brazil and Turkey.
Their refusal to budge beyond a two-year window led to a stalemate, and the moratorium officially lapsed with the matter getting pushed to the WTO General Council.
But this win is fragile.
Unwilling to give up, the USTR got 22 other countries together, including Japan, Korea, the UK and Australia, and agreed among themselves to continue the moratorium.
But India is firm about not joining plurilaterals till proper “guardrails” are in place to protect policy space. The thing to watch out for now is the extent to which the US will put bilateral pressure on other countries, including India, to get its way on the moratorium. Is India prepared?
Anything for elections
Tamil Nadu parties are adopting new ways to attract crowds on the path their leaders traverse.
A little bird from Perambur, from where Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) chief and actor Vijay is contesting, says that a party (not TVK) is paying ₹300 to people who stand on roadsides with party flags or balloons.
If they are lucky they get breakfast and a bottle of water too.
Actor’s love
Tamil Nadu’s love for its actors and the demi-god status given to them is well-known.
But scenes of actor Vijay’s political rallies highlight the excitement that takes over people as they meet their on-screen idol.
As Vijay’s caravan rolls through the streets of Chennai, one can see shawls of the TVK party and a barrage of petals being thrown on him, but recently there was also a unique (and perhaps) dangerous offering.
During the actor’s road show in Puducherry over the weekend, a fan threw a full watermelon at the waving actor and his entourage, which was skilfully caught by his bodyguards before it could hit the actor!
Perhaps, the fan just wanted his idol to beat the heat!
Published on April 5, 2026
