Archive · 22 Jan 2026
India Opposes Investment Facilitation Agreement at WTO
India is strongly opposing the inclusion of the Investment Facilitation Agreement (IFA) in the World Trade Organization (WTO) rulebook.
The IFA is a plurilateral agreement, meaning it is not mandatory for all WTO members but only for those who choose to sign it.
India believes that allowing the IFA could set a precedent for more plurilateral agreements, which could make it harder for developing countries to negotiate on equal terms.
The WTO usually works on a consensus basis, where all members have a say.
India fears that if plurilateral agreements become the norm, rich countries could push their interests more easily, while developing countries might be left out.
The upcoming WTO Ministerial Conference in Cameroon will be a crucial meeting where this issue will be discussed.
India is opposing the inclusion of the Investment Facilitation Agreement (IFA) in the WTO rulebook as a plurilateral accord.
The IFA is mainly a China-led initiative aimed at securing investments in countries participating in its Belt and Road Initiative.
India's opposition is due to concerns about the shift from multilateral consensus-based negotiations to plurilateral ones, which could marginalize developing countries.
The WTO comprises 16 multilateral agreements and only two plurilateral accords, with multilateral agreements being the norm.
The upcoming 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) of the WTO in Cameroon will be a crucial meeting where this issue will be discussed.
- Who
- India, South Africa, Türkiye, China, Developed countries (except the US), and some developing countries
- What
- Opposition to the inclusion of the Investment Facilitation Agreement (IFA) in the WTO rulebook
- When
- Upcoming 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) of the WTO in March-end
- Where
- Cameroon
- Why
- India's opposition is due to systemic concerns about the shift from multilateral consensus-based negotiations to plurilateral ones, which could marginalize developing countries
- Event
- 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) of the WTO
- Location
- Cameroon
- Date
- March-end
- Agreement in Question
- Investment Facilitation Agreement (IFA)
- Main Proponents
- Developed countries (except the US), China, and some developing countries
- Opposing Countries
- India, South Africa, and Türkiye
- WTO Agreement Types
- Multilateral and Plurilateral
- Current WTO Agreements
- 16 multilateral, 2 plurilateral
Sources
In a volatile world, India’s trade agreements need sunset clauses—we mustn’t get locked in by past pacts
NDTV Exclusive: Italy Envoy Says 'We Are Reliable' As India-EU Eye Trade Pact
Breakdown of multilateralism?
Five Risks For The Indian Economy
