Doha Round Sectoral Negotiations: A Study on Health-care Sector in India*
| DOI | 10.1177/0015732513496621 |
| Published date | 01 August 2013 |
| Date | 01 August 2013 |
| Subject Matter | Commentaries |
Doha Round Sectoral
Negotiations: A Study on
Health-care Sector in India*
Rajat Verma
Murali Kallummal
Poornima Varma
Abstract
This article is an attempt to analyze the need for negotiations (if any) for India,
in the sector of ‘Enhanced Healthcare’ which is one of the 14 sectors in the
Sectoral Negotiations (a component of Non Agricultural Market Access) of the
ongoing Doha round. This is done by looking at various components of the Doha
Round Sectoral Proposals specifically from India’s context. We have compared
India’s competitiveness with the four countries, i.e., US; Singapore; Switzerland and
the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu, which have
proposed 25 product categories (i.e., 25 chapters in HS nomenclature) in this sector
for free trade and hence are called as ‘the proponents’ of this sector. We have used
two trade indicators, growth rate of exports and revealed comparative advantage,
for analyzing the India’s relative competitiveness. Both the trade indicators show
that India does have a comparative cost advantage to be one of key players in this
sector. However, this opportunity has to be reaped judiciously by Indian govern-
ment so as to make best use. Also, at same time the need of the hour is that the gov-
ernment should invest in this sector so as to meet the basic international standards
and thereby helping not only the Indian populace but also the industry as a whole.
JEL: F13, F14, L88, L89
Keywords
WTO, NAMA, sectoral proposals, healthcare sectoral, revealed comparative
advantage
Commentary
Foreign Trade Review
48(3) 399–411
©2013 Indian Institute of
Foreign Trade
SAGE Publications
Los Angeles, London,
New Delhi, Singapore,
Washington DC
DOI: 10.1177/0015732513496621
http://ftr.sagepub.com
Rajat Verma, Assistant Professor (Ad hoc), Shaheed Bhagat Singh (Evening) College,
University of Delhi and Guest Lecturer, Gargi College, University of Delhi, Delhi, India.
E-mail: rajat.verma1988@gmail.com
Murali Kallummal, Associate Professor, Centre for WTO Studies (CWS), Indian Institute
of Foreign Trade, New Delhi, India. E-mail: muralik@iift.ac.in; muralikallummal@gmail.com
Poornima Varma, Assistant Professor, Department of Policy Studies, TERI University,
New Delhi, India. E-mail: poornimavarma@gmail.com
* This is a commentary based on a longer paper. For the full version of the paper, contact
Murali Kallummal.
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