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India's 8th Trade Policy Review (TPR) commenced at the WTO in Geneva on 21 July 2026 (concluding sessions on 23 July), covering the review period 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2025.
Led by Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal, India highlighted ~8% average annual GDP growth during the review period and record exports of USD 863.1 billion in 2025-26.
India received 1,094 written questions from 44 WTO Members, with 68 Members making interventions; the WTO's TPR Body praised India's DPI, financial inclusion reforms, and its acceptance of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.
India remains at odds with members over the 66-nation Agreement on Electronic Commerce (ECA), challenging its bypassing of multilateral consensus rules.
A WTO transparency exercise (not an enforcement tool) allowing member countries to periodically examine each other's trade policies and practices, aimed at improving transparency, predictability and accountability in the multilateral trading system.
Simple Analogy: Like a peer review at a workplace — colleagues examine your work openly to build shared understanding and trust, not to punish you.
Strengthen domestic manufacturing while integrating with Global Value Chains
Key: Domestic capacity + global integration
Regulatory simplification and ease of doing business
Key: Decriminalising minor offences
Expand financial inclusion and trade efficiency
Key: Cited by WTO and Brazil as a model for other developing countries
India challenges the legality of this plurilateral pact, arguing it bypasses the WTO's multilateral consensus rule — a live tension surfacing during the TPR.
GS Paper II/III - International Organisations (WTO) and Indian Economy (Trade policy)
Trade Policy Review Mechanism — WTO's periodic transparency exercise reviewing member trade policies
An agreement among a subset of WTO members rather than the full membership, contrasted with multilateral consensus-based agreements