Indian Ambivalence Toward ITA Expansion Rooted In Agency Opposition

摘要

India's vocal ambivalence about joining the Information Technology Agreement (ITA) expansion effort in Geneva is rooted in the fact that its Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY) in New Delhi has registered its clear opposition against participating in the initiative, according to an informed source. The final decision on whether India participates in the negotiations to expand the ITA will be made by India's Department of Commerce, which administers trade policy. But it would be difficult for Commerce to make a decision that completely flies in the face of another government agency, according to one informed source. "My feeling is that it's going to be very, very tough" if the Department of Commerce decides it wants to go ahead and join the expanded ITA despite DeitY's opposition, he said. "Commerce will have its work cut out for it."