Ř
India
Concludes Eighth Trade Policy Review at WTO in Geneva
Ř
Commerce
Secretary Reaffirms India's Commitment to Open, Transparent and WTO-Consistent
Trade Regime
Ř
68
WTO Members Participate in India's Trade Policy Review, Reflecting Strong
Global Interest in India's Economic Transformation
·
Review
Concludes:
India's Eighth Trade Policy Review (TPR) concluded on 23 July 2026 at the WTO
in Geneva after two review sessions held on 21 and 23 July 2026.
·
Indian
Delegation: Led
by Commerce Secretary
Rajesh Agarwal.
·
Commitment
to Reforms: India
reaffirmed its commitment to an open,
transparent and predictable trade and investment regime, with
reforms being a continuous process.
·
Trade
Policy Priorities: India
stated that tariff reforms, customs simplification and an ambitious FTA
strategy have strengthened its integration with the global economy while
supporting domestic development.
·
Tariff
Policy:
Agricultural tariffs protect millions of small and resource-poor farmers, while
industrial tariffs support supply chain resilience, diversification and
domestic manufacturing.
·
High
Member Participation: India
received 1,094 written
questions from 44 WTO Members, while 68 Members made
interventions during the review.
·
Global
Recognition: WTO
Members appreciated India's:
o Economic resilience.
o Constructive engagement in the
multilateral trading system.
o Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).
o Customs and trade facilitation reforms.
o Innovation and startup
ecosystem.
o Expansion of regional trade agreements.
o MSME integration into global value chains.
o Acceptance of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.
·
SPS,
TBT and Trade Remedies: India
reaffirmed adherence to WTO rules, stating that:
o Quality Control Orders (QCOs) serve legitimate
public policy objectives.
o Trade remedy investigations are
transparent, evidence-based and subject to judicial oversight.
o India continues to apply the Lesser Duty Rule in
anti-dumping cases.
·
Broader
Reform Agenda: India
highlighted progress in sustainable development, women's economic empowerment,
digital commerce, financial inclusion, logistics modernization, investment
facilitation, intellectual property reforms, services trade and Ease of Doing
Business.
·
WTO
Reform: India
reiterated support for a development-oriented,
inclusive and rules-based multilateral trading system that
preserves policy space for developing countries.
·
Brazil's
Observations:
Discussant Ambassador
Guilherme de Aguiar Patriota said
Members expect India to act as a bridge-builder
and a leading voice of the Global
South in strengthening the WTO.
·
Chair's
Remarks: TPRB
Chair Ambassador Nella
Pepe Tavita-Levy (Samoa) noted
Members' recognition of India's growing role in global trade while encouraging
India to address concerns raised during the review.
·
Overall
Outcome: The
review concluded on a positive note, reaffirming India's growing importance in
the global trading system and its commitment to transparency, dialogue and
strengthening the WTO.
The
second and final session of India's Eighth Trade Policy Review (TPR) concluded on
23 July, 2026 at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva. The Trade Policy
Review is a key transparency and monitoring mechanism of the WTO under which Members'
trade and related policies are periodically examined to enhance transparency, strengthen
adherence to WTO rules and facilitate constructive dialogue among Members.
India's
official delegation for the Eighth Trade Policy Review was led by Commerce Secretary
Rajesh Agarwal. In his closing statement to the WTO Membership, the Commerce Secretary
thanked Members for their active participation and the keen interest shown in India's
trade policies. He reaffirmed that reform is a continuous process and highlighted
India's commitment to an open, transparent and predictable trade and investment
regime. He underlined that India's tariff reforms, customs simplification measures
and ambitious Free Trade Agreement (FTA) strategy have steadily strengthened the
country's integration with the global economy while supporting domestic development
objectives. He also emphasized that India remains a major engine of global demand.
Responding
to the issues raised by Members, the Commerce Secretary reiterated that India's
trade policies are guided by WTO-consistent principles while balancing the developmental
needs of a large developing economy. He emphasized that India's agricultural tariff
structure is designed to safeguard the livelihoods of millions of small, low-income
and resource-poor farmers, ensuring fairness and equity, while industrial tariffs
support supply chain resilience, diversification and domestic manufacturing capabilities
in an evolving global economic environment.
During
the review, India received 1,094 written questions from 44 WTO Members. During the
two review sessions held on 21 and 23 July 2026, 68 WTO Members made interventions,
reflecting growing global interest in India's economic transformation and its role
in the multilateral trading system. Several Members recalled the value of their
trade and economic relationship with India and broadly appreciated India's constructive
engagement in the multilateral trading system and its strong economic resilience.
Members also highlighted India's achievements in Digital Public Infrastructure,
customs and trade facilitation modernization, innovation and startup initiatives, expansion of regional trade agreements,
and efforts to integrate MSMEs into global value chains. They also welcomed India's
acceptance of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.
On
sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical regulations and trade remedies, the
Commerce Secretary reaffirmed India's commitment to transparency, stakeholder consultations
and adherence to WTO rules. He noted that India's Quality Control Orders are intended
to achieve legitimate public policy objectives, while trade remedy investigations
are conducted transparently, based on objective evidence, due process and judicial
oversight. He further highlighted that the overall trade coverage of India's trade
remedy measures remains limited and that India continues to apply the Lesser Duty
Rule in its anti-dumping framework.
The
Commerce Secretary also highlighted India's continued efforts to promote sustainable
development, women's economic empowerment, digital public infrastructure, intellectual
property reforms, services trade, investment facilitation and Ease of Doing Business.
He noted India's significant progress in financial inclusion, digital commerce,
logistics modernization and environmental sustainability, while reaffirming India's
commitment to an inclusive and innovation-driven growth model.
On
WTO reform, the Commerce Secretary reiterated India's strong commitment to an open,
inclusive, transparent and rules-based multilateral trading system. He emphasized
that WTO reform should remain development-oriented, preserve policy space for developing
countries, strengthen the Organization's credibility and deliver on existing mandates.
India also reaffirmed its commitment to engaging constructively with all Members
to strengthen the multilateral trading system while preserving the foundational
principles of the WTO.
The
Commerce Secretary expressed his gratitude to the Chair of the Trade Policy Review
Body, Ambassador Nella Pepe Tavita-Levy of Samoa, and
the Discussant, Ambassador Guilherme de Aguiar Patriota
of Brazil, for their leadership and valuable contributions during the review process.
He also thanked the WTO Secretariat, WTO Members, and the Indian teams in Geneva
and New Delhi for their dedicated efforts in ensuring the successful conclusion
of India's Eighth Trade Policy Review.
Concluding
the review, the Commerce Secretary reaffirmed India's unwavering commitment to transparency,
dialogue and constructive engagement within the WTO. Recalling the Indian philosophy
of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam"—the
world is one family—he emphasized that India will continue to work with all Members
to strengthen the multilateral trading system so that international trade remains
a force for shared prosperity, inclusive growth and sustainable development.
In
his closing remarks, the Discussant, H.E. Mr. Guilherme de Aguiar Patriota (Brazil, in his personal capacity), observed that at
a time of heightened global uncertainty, many Members expressed the expectation
that India would continue to act as a bridge-builder by promoting dialogue, fostering
consensus and strengthening a rules-based, inclusive and resilient multilateral
trading system. He underscored India's unique position as a leading voice of the
Global South and its important role in bridging differences among Members to advance
collective action within the WTO.
In
her concluding remarks, the Chair of the Trade Policy Review Body, Ambassador Nella
Pepe Tavita-Levy of Samoa, noted that WTO Members widely
acknowledged India's growing importance in the global economy and recognized its
expanding role as a driver of global growth and trade. She also referred to the
concerns raised by Members and expressed the hope that India would address them
appropriately.
Overall,
India's Eighth Trade Policy Review concluded on a positive note, underscoring the
country's growing importance in the multilateral trading system and Members' expectation
that India will continue to play a central role in strengthening and shaping the
future of the rules-based global trading system.