Former President Pranab Mukherjee raises concerns over growing protectionism, says it affects outcome of world trade

Bengaluru: Former President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday raised serious concerns over growing protectionism which is affecting the outcome of world trade. “I am the signatory to the WTO document and agreement on behalf of India. All of us pledged to create a free market and gradual dismantling of protectionism. Unfortunately, growing protectionism is seriously affecting the outcome of world trade,” he said here. Mukherjee, who is also a veteran Congress leader, said this while addressing the golden jubilee celebrations of St Joseph’s Institute of Management here. [caption id=“attachment_4142623” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of former president Pranab Mukerjee. PTI[/caption] He also said he was the signatory to WTO document and agreement on behalf of India. Mukherjee said any country cannot create artificial barriers through protectionism in the days of global villages. The former President urged students and faculty of St Joseph’s Institute of Management to come out with suitable answers to meet the great challenge of protectionism of this generation. India also needs answers as to where its business should invest its energy and its resources, he said. “We also need syllabus that match the needs of the socio-economic environment for its transformation,” he added. Mukherjee also urged people to build a conducive atmosphere to achieve socio-economic transformation as ingrained in the Indian Constitution, which is a great Magna Carta.