Centre for WTO Studies

       Ever since the new economic order was established through the World Trade Organisation in 1995, a new regime of ‘organised trade’ was ushered in through rules- based coherence system. Though uncertainty is currently prevailing in the WTO review process, the increased popularity of the multilateralisation that rests on consensus-based approach is bringing more members into the organization.The world is also witnessing a proliferation of many regional and bilateral trade agreements. This is being done under the auspices of the WTO, which permits such engagement as regional or national initiatives to strengthen free trade even though many are wary of balkanization of multilaterisation process. There is an equally important mandate to provide an ideal platform to help the interaction between the primary stakeholders and the centre; to facilitate a decentralized Trade Policy; to establish a rich source of database and international trade agreements on the economy of the region; to provide an environment for ushering in change in the national trade policy formulation, whenever necessary, etc. Some of the policy issues vis-à-vis agriculture that are being currently negotiated in the Non-agricultural market access (NAMA) and educational issues (under GATS) vindicate the necessity for a robust research programme that can provide ground realities through evidence based documentation in all spheres of WTO and the political economy of international trade. The Centre’s main role will be to build the capacity of the region on trade and development issues, provide training programmes, Seminars, Workshops and Trade Dialogues in the region. The Centre will try to collaborate with national, regional, multilateral and international universities to discuss the development debate on trade and development issues for the region.