A two-day National Chintan Shivir on environment-related non-tariff measures (NTMs) and their implications for Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) commenced in New Delhi on Monday, bringing together policymakers, trade experts, industry representatives and WTO practitioners to discuss emerging challenges in global trade.
Organised by the Department of Commerce in collaboration with the Centre for WTO Studies (CWS) and the Centre for Research in International Trade (CRIT) at the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), the workshop focuses on the growing use of environmental and climate-related trade measures and their impact on India’s export competitiveness.
The deliberations aim to enhance understanding of sustainability-linked trade regulations being adopted across the world, assess their implications for Indian exports and formulate strategic responses through the World Trade Organization (WTO) framework and India’s network of Free Trade Agreements.
According to the Department of Commerce, the discussions are expected to contribute to India’s efforts to safeguard market access for exporters, strengthen trade competitiveness and promote sustainable trade practices in an evolving global regulatory environment.
Key themes being discussed at the workshop include WTO rules governing Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), sustainability-related non-tariff measures, carbon- and deforestation-linked trade regulations, industry perspectives and strategies for addressing emerging trade concerns through both multilateral and bilateral mechanisms.
The inaugural session began with opening remarks by Dr Pritam Banerjee, Head of the Centre for WTO Studies. Deputy Secretary in the Department of Commerce Richa Prakash Choudhary welcomed participants and outlined the objectives of the workshop, while Joint Secretary Ujjwal Kumar Ghosh delivered the special address.
Ghosh highlighted the need to strengthen India’s preparedness in dealing with sustainability-related trade measures and evolving global regulatory frameworks, stressing the importance of balancing environmental commitments with trade and export interests.
The workshop features participation from several distinguished experts, including Erik Wijkström, Head of the Technical Barriers to Trade Section in the WTO’s Trade and Environment Division; former WTO TBT Committee Chair Anwar Shaik; former National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies CEO Anil Jauhri; legal expert Atul Sharma; and trade policy specialist Pranav Kumar, along with senior government officials and trade experts.
The two-day event will conclude on June 23 with a valedictory session, where recommendations and key takeaways from the deliberations are expected to be discussed.
