India has started its backroom manoeuvres ahead of the Cancun ministerial meeting of World Trade Organisation members in September.

A high-level delegation, led by Commerce Secretary Dipak Chatterjee, will hold consultations with the Like Minded Group of 15 countries to evolve a strategy on operationalisation of special and differential provisions in various WTO agreements, pressing for addressing implementation issues raised by developing countries and Trips and public health.

Commerce ministry officials said that India will also try to garner support to block the inclusion of Singapore issues on the negotiating agenda.

The draft ministerial declaration for Cancun and the mode for working out the declaration is also expected to come up for discussion.

Some delegations have raised eyebrows about the way the declaration has been prepared and said that members are complaining that the process was not very transparent.

Officials said that over the next six weeks, the consultation process with various WTO members will be strengthened and attempts will be made to garner as much support as possible.

The LMG, which was divided towards the end of the Doha ministerial meeting in 2001, is expected to be a stronger grouping this time officials, said.

Apart from the LMG, India is part of a group of 11 countries which are opposing the inclusion of Singapore issues -- investment, competition policy, trade facilitation and transparency in government procurement -- on the negotiating agenda.

These countries are of the opinion that the subjects do not belong to the WTO.

A group called the 'Friends of Mode Four' has also been set up to push for removal of restrictions on movement of professionals under the services agreement, which is under negotiation.

"In Doha India demonstrated that one country can block an issue at the WTO and there is a lot of appreciation for this which will help us in winning support," said an official.

Officials complain about the lack of any progress on the issues raised by developing countries like India.

They said that the US continues to oppose Trips and public health which will result in access to medicines in case of epidemics through waiver of patent rights.

Similarly, on the other implementation issues there has been no progress with developed countries against addressing the concerns.

On special and differential treatment there had been some progress in Geneva.