India meets WTO chief to push for fair, balanced global trade deal at key ministerial meet

Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal met WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in Geneva to discuss key priorities for ensuring a positive, balanced and inclusive outcome at the 14th WTO Ministerial.

The discussions and any consensus at the 14th WTO Ministerial in Cameroon next month will be crucial in shaping the future of global free trade amid uncertainty, tariffs, sanctions and growing trade fragmentation.

India’s Permanent Mission to the World Trade Organization posted on X that the meeting underscored India’s continued commitment to constructive engagement with members to strengthen the rules-based multilateral trading system (MTS).

Accompanied by Additional Secretary (Commerce) Amitabh Kumar and India’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the WTO Senthil Pandian, the Commerce Secretary also met permanent representatives and ambassadors of several developing countries.

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Commenting on the meeting, Okonjo-Iweala posted on X: “Many thanks for a thoughtful and productive discussion around the substance, process and preparation of MC14. I look forward to continued engagement as we work through the thorny issues.”

In July 2025, a WTO release noted that global merchandise trade volumes rose 3.6% quarter-on-quarter and 5.3% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025, driven by a surge in North American imports ahead of anticipated higher US tariffs. For 2025, the WTO had forecast a 0.2% decline in world merchandise trade.

India’s stand at the WTO

At the WTO, India has long sought a permanent solution to the issue of public stockholding of essential food items to support its Public Distribution System (PDS), a position backed by several developing countries. It has also argued for protecting the rights of small fishermen and for imposing stricter obligations on developed nations whose industrial fishing practices have depleted marine resources.

India has pushed for the revival of the WTO’s Appellate Body, which has been defunct since 2019, and has called for action to address Technical Barriers to Trade (TBTs) to support globalisation.

New Delhi has opposed the proposed Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) agreement, backed by 128 of the WTO’s 166 members. According to the WTO, the IFD agreement seeks to set global benchmarks to improve investment climates and make it easier for investors to start, operate and expand businesses.

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However, India argues that instead of benefiting poorer nations, the IFD framework could undermine their policy autonomy, especially where institutional capacity to safeguard domestic interests is limited.