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India urged to drop free market objections

US SECRETARY of State John Kerry pressed New Delhi today to drop its opposition to global free-market trade reforms.

He warned that acceptance of the reforms was a test of India’s commitment to so-called investment liberalisation.

Mr Kerry’s call was aimed at revitalising strained ties that have been mired in disputes over trade, intellectual property rights and climate change.

India has threatened to block a world-wide reform of customs rules, saying that it must be accompanied by a parallel agreement allowing developing countries more freedom to subsidise and stockpile grain.

But Mr Kerry claimed that India stood to gain by setting up a level playing field instead of erecting trade barriers.

India and the United States have already clashed at the World Trade Organisation, with Washington saying that Delhi’s 11th-hour resistance could kill a deal that Mr Kerry claimed could create around 21 million jobs.

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