{"id":14596,"date":"2026-07-21T13:04:35","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T07:34:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/?p=14596"},"modified":"2026-07-21T13:04:35","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T07:34:35","slug":"india-wto-fisheries-subsidies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/india-wto-fisheries-subsidies\/","title":{"rendered":"India Officially Joins WTO\u2019s Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">India&#8217;s Instrument of Acceptance under the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies has been deposited with the WTO, which has ratified the country as a member of the agreement. India becomes part of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies when it deposits its Instrument of Acceptance, giving it status. This marks a significant step towards promoting sustainable fisheries and protecting marine ecosystems. The Agreement covers the prohibition of harmful fisheries subsidies that may lead to IUU, overfished stocks and (where appropriate) fishing on the unregulated high seas. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The induction of India into a membership that reflects the principle of \u2018fishers responsibly managed fishers&#8217; helps give weight to the demands of responsible fisheries management and ensures the protection of the interests of millions of fishers engaged in traditional fishing and fishing by small operators. The action also contributes to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 \u2013 Life Below Water, and reinforces the multilateral trading system.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Key Highlights of India Becomes Part of WTO Fisheries Subsidies<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Instrument of Acceptance (IoA) for India&#8217;s Accession to the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies has been submitted.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Agreement was agreed during the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC12) in Geneva, in June 2022.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is the first environmental- focussed agreement in the WTO.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Agreement will ban any subsidy to Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It also influences the introduction of fisheries to areas that are prone to overfishing and to fishing in unregulated high seas areas.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">India has focused on small and traditional fishers and on protection of their livelihoods.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Agreement makes a direct contribution to SDG 14.6 (Life Below Water).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In doing so, India has enhanced cooperation for sustainable fisheries and fair international trade.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Why in News?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">India is thus officially a member of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies of the World Trade Organisation, to which it is the newest addition, after the country had finished its domestic acceptance process. The transition underscores India&#8217;s dedication towards sustainable marine resource management and responsible international trade, and it remains a call for equitable treatment of developing countries and artisanal fishers.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">What does WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies mean?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The first international WTO agreement with a sole focus on environmental sustainability is the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. It sets up binding rules for fisheries subsidies that help to deplete marine resources. The Agreement aims to discourage illegal fishing or overfishing of fish stocks, which may be the result of the government providing financial assistance, and to encourage sustainable fisheries management globally.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The purpose of the Agreement<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">End subsidies to Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ban subsidies for fishing of overfished populations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Stop certain fishing activities on unmanaged high seas from being subsidised.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Encourage sustainable fisheries management worldwide.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Maintain biodiversity and fish stocks in the marine environment.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Help achieve SDG Target 14.6.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Provide long-term food security and sustainable livelihoods.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">India&#8217;s Stand on Fisheries Subsidies<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In addition, India has always looked into sustainable fisheries and always said they should be given special and differential treatment with the developing countries. The Indian position is that millions of traditional and artisanal fisheries communities rely on fisheries for their livelihood, and a policy niche is needed to strengthen the livelihoods of those communities. India&#8217;s accession to the Agreement signals its continued dedication to creating a balance between sustainable management of the natural world and the security of livelihoods.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/sustainable-development\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 17 Goals, Targets, Objectives<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Benefits for India<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Promotes sustainable use of marine resources.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Lays the momentum for India in the WTO.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Conserves the stocks of fish for next generations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Promotes responsible fishing.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Simplifies fisheries subsidies.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Facilitates exports by building the merchandise image of India in the world.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Contributes to the Blue Economy and sustainable coastal development.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">WTO Previous Year Questions (PYQs)<\/span><\/h2>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Exam (Year)<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Question with Options<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Correct Answer<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>UPSC Prelims (2024)<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>The World Trade Organisation (WTO) was established in which year?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(A) 1993<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(B) 1994<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(C) 1995<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(D) 1996<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>(C) 1995<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>SSC CGL (2023)<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Where is the headquarters of the World Trade Organisation (WTO)?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(A) Paris<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(B) Vienna<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(C) Geneva<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(D) Brussels<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>(C) Geneva, Switzerland<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>RRB NTPC (2022)<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Which organisation replaced the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(A) IMF<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(B) WTO<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(C) World Bank<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(D) OECD<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>(B) WTO<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>SSC CHSL (2022)<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>The WTO came into existence on which date?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(A) 1 January 1995<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(B) 15 April 1994<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(C) 1 January 1996<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(D) 31 December 1994<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>(A) 1 January 1995<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>UPSC Prelims (2021)<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Which of the following is the highest decision-making body of the WTO?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(A) General Council<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(B) Ministerial Conference<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(C) Dispute Settlement Body<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(D) Trade Policy Review Body<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>(B) Ministerial Conference<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>SSC CGL (2021)<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Who is the current Director-General of the WTO?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(A) Roberto Azev\u00eado<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(B) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(C) Pascal Lamy<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(D) Christine Lagarde<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>(B) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>SSC GD (2020)<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>The WTO headquarters is located in which country?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(A) France<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(B) Switzerland<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(C) Belgium<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(D) Austria<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>(B) Switzerland<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>RRB Group D (2019)<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Which agreement led to the establishment of the WTO?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(A) Kyoto Protocol<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(B) Marrakesh Agreement<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(C) Paris Agreement<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(D) Uruguay Protocol<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>(B) Marrakesh Agreement<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>SSC CPO (2018)<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>The WTO is primarily concerned with ________.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(A) Climate Change<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(B) International Trade Rules<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(C) Global Health<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(D) Human Rights<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>(B) International Trade Rules<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>UPSC Prelims (2017)<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>The Trade Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM) is associated with which organisation?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(A) IMF<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(B) World Bank<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(C) WTO<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(D) UNCTAD<\/span><\/td>\n<td><b>(C) WTO<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/e-zero-fir-system\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tamil Nadu Launches e-Zero FIR System<\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Conclusion on India Joins WTO Fisheries Subsidies Pact<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">India&#8217;s accession to the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies is an expression of its interest in a rules-based world trade system, in sustainable development and fisheries governance. Harmful subsidies will be reduced and marine biodiversity secured for the future through the Agreement. India, meanwhile, is pressing for the interests of traditional fishing communities to be safeguarded by drawing a balance between the implementation of global trade rules and the interests of these communities.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">India Joins WTO Fisheries Subsidies Agreement FAQs<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"cfaq-wrapper\" data-multiple=\"0\"><div class=\"cfaq-item cfaq-open\"><button class=\"cfaq-question\" aria-expanded=\"true\"><span class=\"cfaq-question-text\">1. What is the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies?<\/span><span class=\"cfaq-icon\"><\/span><\/button><div class=\"cfaq-answer\"><div class=\"cfaq-answer-inner\"><div><span style=\"font-size: 12.35px\">It is a WTO agreement that prohibits harmful fisheries subsidies contributing to IUU fishing, overfishing, and depletion of marine resources.<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cfaq-item\"><button class=\"cfaq-question\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><span class=\"cfaq-question-text\">2. When was the Agreement adopted?<\/span><span class=\"cfaq-icon\"><\/span><\/button><div class=\"cfaq-answer\" hidden><div class=\"cfaq-answer-inner\"><div><span style=\"font-size: 12.35px\">It was adopted on 17 June 2022 during the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC12) in Geneva.<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cfaq-item\"><button class=\"cfaq-question\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><span class=\"cfaq-question-text\">3. Why has India joined the Agreement?<\/span><span class=\"cfaq-icon\"><\/span><\/button><div class=\"cfaq-answer\" hidden><div class=\"cfaq-answer-inner\"><div><span style=\"font-size: 12.35px\">India joined to support sustainable fisheries, marine conservation, and responsible international trade while protecting the interests of small-scale fishers.<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cfaq-item\"><button class=\"cfaq-question\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><span class=\"cfaq-question-text\">4. What does IUU Fishing stand for?<\/span><span class=\"cfaq-icon\"><\/span><\/button><div class=\"cfaq-answer\" hidden><div class=\"cfaq-answer-inner\"><div><span style=\"font-size: 12.35px\">Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing.<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"cfaq-item\"><button class=\"cfaq-question\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><span class=\"cfaq-question-text\">5. Which Sustainable Development Goal is linked to the Agreement?<\/span><span class=\"cfaq-icon\"><\/span><\/button><div class=\"cfaq-answer\" hidden><div class=\"cfaq-answer-inner\"><div><span style=\"font-size: 12.35px\">SDG 14 \u2013 Life Below Water, particularly Target 14.6.<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>India&#8217;s Instrument of Acceptance under the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies has been deposited with the WTO, which has ratified the country as a member of the agreement. India becomes part of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies when it deposits its Instrument of Acceptance, giving it status. This marks a significant step towards promoting [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":14597,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14596","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-hindu-editorial"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14596","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14596"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14596\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14599,"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14596\/revisions\/14599"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14597"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14596"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14596"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.class24.study\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14596"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}