Afghanistan on Thursday became the latest WTO member, leaving Bhutan as the only Saarc member which has so far not joined the multilateral trade body.

It will become the 164th member with least developed country status in a month once formalities are completed.

While the focus has been on issues such as agriculture and the fate of Doha Round, 53 WTO members also agreed on removing import duty on 201 information technology products, an agreement to which India is not a signatory.

India has argued that the products covered go beyond IT but privately officials have said that the country's experience with a similar agreement reached in 1997, known as Information Technology Agreement, was not favourable as allowing zero-duty imports meant that local manufacturing did not take place.

There is also a deal for least developed countries, which will be part of the ministerial declaration due on Friday.

(Times of India)