New Delhi, March 28 (NationPress) - In a significant announcement, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, revealed on Saturday that India is embracing a balanced and community-focused approach to fisheries governance. This statement came during his participation in discussions at the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) held in Cameroon.

Via a post on social media platform X, Goyal elaborated on his address to the Ministerial Session regarding Fisheries Subsidies. He emphasized that fisheries play a crucial role in India, serving as a primary source of livelihood and food security for over 9 million fishermen, primarily from small, traditional, and artisanal communities that prioritize sustainable practices.

Highlighting India's long-standing commitment to conservation, Goyal pointed out initiatives such as the annual fishing ban, asserting that sustainability has been a core part of India's strategy well before it became a global focus.

He also noted that the issues of overcapacity and overfishing are largely fueled by heavily subsidized industrial fleets, rather than small-scale fishers in developing nations.

Goyal emphasized that global agreements should be equitable and not disproportionately affect vulnerable populations.

Moreover, he expressed India's support for the adoption of the draft decision concerning fisheries subsidies, insisting that future outcomes must be just and development-oriented, safeguarding both marine resources and livelihoods.

On the sidelines of the conference, the minister engaged in bilateral discussions with various counterparts. He met with Peter Kyle, the UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade, to discuss priorities under the MC14 agenda and the progress of the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which was signed in July 2025.

Additionally, Goyal had a conversation with Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, Cameroon’s Minister of Trade, congratulating the host nation for organizing the WTO Ministerial Conference and discussing the promotion of bilateral trade, investment, and sectoral cooperation.

In another meeting, he interacted with the WTO reform minister-facilitators, Espen Barth Eide, Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Chris Bryant, the UK Minister of State for Trade Policy.

During these talks, Goyal reiterated India’s commitment to a reformed, relevant, and effective WTO, stressing the importance of maintaining core principles such as consensus-based decision-making, Most Favoured Nation (MFN) norms, and Special and Differential Treatment (S&DT) to ensure fairness in global trade.

He also highlighted the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to amplify the voice of the Global South in crafting a more inclusive multilateral trading system.