India Reaffirms Commitment to Multilateral Trading System at WTO

India recently participated in its eighth Trade Policy Review (TPR) at the World Trade Organization (WTO), a critical mechanism that provides transparency and ensures that member nations' trade policies align with global commitments. During the review, India reaffirmed its steadfast commitment to a transparent, non-discriminatory, and rules-based multilateral trading system, positioning itself as a responsible stakeholder in global commerce. In its presentation, the government highlighted the dual pillars of its current economic strategy: an expanding network of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and a significantly liberalized Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) regime. By actively pursuing high-quality trade agreements with diverse partners, India aims to integrate more deeply into global value chains, thereby boosting exports and manufacturing competitiveness. Simultaneously, the liberalization of FDI norms across various sectors—ranging from defense to retail—reflects India’s intent to attract long-term capital, technology transfer, and global best practices to fuel domestic growth.