More Stories

Informist, Thursday, Jul. 23, 2026

 

NEW DELHI – India Thursday reiterated that its trade policies are guided by principles consistent with the World Trade Organization rules, while balancing the development needs of a large developing economy. Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal, who led India's official delegation at the eighth WTO Trade Policy Review, said the country's agricultural tariff structure is designed to safeguard the livelihoods of small and low-income farmers, while industrial tariffs support supply chain resilience, diversification and domestic manufacturing capabilities in an evolving global economic environment.

 

The final session of India's two-day Trade Policy Review concluded Thursday at the WTO in Geneva, the commerce ministry said in a release.

 

The trade policy review is a key transparency and monitoring mechanism of the WTO through which members' trade and related policies are periodically examined to enhance transparency, promote adherence to WTO rules and facilitate constructive dialogue among members. During the review, India received 1,094 written questions from 44 WTO members, the ministry said.

 

Agarwal highlighted India's commitment to an open, transparent and predictable trade and investment regime. He further underlined that India's tariff reforms, customs simplification measures and ambitious free trade agreement strategy have steadily strengthened the country's integration with the global economy while supporting domestic development objectives.

 

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.

 

Agarwal also 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. On WTO reform, Agarwal reaffirmed India's commitment to an open, inclusive, transparent and rules-based multilateral trading system. "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 release said. 

 

Agarwal reaffirmed India's commitment to transparency, dialogue and constructive engagement within the WTO. Chair of the Trade Policy Review body and Ambassador Nella Pepe Tavita-Levy of Samoa said that WTO members widely acknowledged India's growing importance in the global economy and recognised its expanding role as a driver of global growth and trade. However, she also referred to the concerns raised by members and expressed the hope that India would address them appropriately, the release said. End

 

Reported by Pratiksha

Edited by Saji George Titus

 

For users of real-time market data terminals, Informist news is available exclusively on the NSE Cogencis WorkStation.

 

Cogencis news is now Informist news. This follows the acquisition of Cogencis Information Services Ltd. by NSE Data & Analytics Ltd., a 100% subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. As a part of the transaction, the news department of Cogencis has been sold to Informist Media Pvt. Ltd.

 

Informist Media Tel +91 (11) 4220-1000

Send comments to feedback@informistmedia.com

 

© Informist Media Pvt. Ltd. 2026. All rights reserved.