INDIA'S ELECTRONICS & TELECOM SECTOR AND W.T.O: SOME ASPECTS OF CURRENT GLOBAL TRADE SCENARIO

This paper examines the impact of the Information Technology Agreement (ITA) on India’s IT sector. The ITA is a Plurilateral agreement, eliminates tariffs on certain IT products. While India initially benefited from ITA-I, it opted out of ITA-II negotiations, fearing that further tariff reductions could harm its domestic electronics manufacturing sector. This decision was motivated by the "Make-in-India" initiative, which aims to boost domestic production. This paper analyse whether India's decision to prioritize domestic manufacturing over international trade liberalization is the best approach to revitalize its electronics sector. The study suggests that participating in the ITA could increase bilateral trade and potentially mitigate trade diversion effects associated with WTO membership.