If size matters, then it’s time for developed nations to take notice. India and China, two of world’s fastest growing economies, have decided to jointly take on the rich nations in the WTO negotiations, to protect interests of their farmers.

“We’re going to take a joint stand at the WTO talks in future,” Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said here today standing next to his Chinese counetrpart, Bo Xilai.

The WTO talks — aimed to boost world trade and reduce poverty — are currently facing an impasse over developed countries’ stand to give high subsidies to their farmers and over lack of market access for Western companies in the poor countries.

The impasse must be broken as there is lot at stake for developing nations like India and China,” Nath said. In the WTO talks, it is countries like India and Brazil which have led the developing nations in various groupings so that their interests are protected. China, on the other hand, has been a silent spectator . The WTO is a forum where 150-member countries are negotiating how to bring down trade barriers and boost their economies.

The current ‘development round’ of talks are meant to help poor countries but both European and Americans have refused to bring down subsidies as high as $2 billion a day to their own farmers.

“We’ve decided to strengthen coordination so that our rights are protected,” Xilai told The Indian Express soon after Chinese President Hu Jintao said India and China should jointly uphold the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries in WTO talks.

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