Trade experts and academics flag erosion of the Most-Favoured-Nation principle and explore global trade careers, institutional reforms and future pathways as HNLU hosts an international colloquium marking 30 years of the WTO.
TFP Bureau, Raipur, February 9, 2026: Cautioning against the gradual weakening of the Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN) principle in contemporary trade practice, Prof. James Nedumpara, Head of the Centre for Trade and Investment Law (CTIL), Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), on Monday said that adherence to core multilateral trade norms is increasingly under pressure in the evolving global trade landscape. He was speaking as the chief guest at an International Colloquium hosted by Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU), Raipur.
Addressing scholars, practitioners and students at the one-day pre-summit International Colloquium on “Global Trade Careers, the WTO’s 30-Year Legacy, and Future Pathways”, Prof. Nedumpara highlighted the challenges facing the World Trade Organization (WTO) amid geopolitical shifts, regional trade arrangements and selective departures from established principles. He underscored that erosion of MFN norms could have long-term implications for predictability and fairness in international trade.
Inaugurating the colloquium, Prof. (Dr.) V. C. Vivekanandan, Vice-Chancellor of HNLU, reflected on three decades of the WTO’s evolution and observed that while the institution has delivered important outcomes, its achievements have not fully matched the ambitious structural goals envisioned at its inception. He noted that India’s engagement with the WTO has evolved significantly, moving from a position of caution to occupying a central role in shaping contemporary trade discourse.
The colloquium was organised by HNLU through its Centre for WTO and WIPO Studies under the School of Law and Technology, in collaboration with the WTO Young Trade Leaders Programme and the Centre for Trade and Investment Law, IIFT, under the WTO Chairs Programme of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. The event brought together leading voices from academia, legal practice and international policy.
Among the distinguished speakers were Ms. Ameeta Verma Duggal, Founding Partner of DGS Associates, and Ms. Aarushi Shrivastav, Young Trade Leader (India) at the WTO and Industrial Policy Analyst at Global Counsel. The inaugural addresses examined both critical concerns and emerging opportunities within the multilateral trading system. Ms. Shrivastav emphasised the value of early engagement with international trade institutions and policy-making processes for aspiring professionals, while Ms. Duggal highlighted the institutional resilience of the WTO and its continued relevance despite ongoing challenges.
An interactive session with Ms. Shrivastav provided participants with practical insights into the WTO Young Trade Leaders Programme and evolving career avenues in international trade, public policy and diplomacy. This was followed by a panel discussion on “Global Trade Careers, the WTO’s Institutional Evolution & Beyond”.
The panel featured Dr. Ankit Awasthi, Head of the Centre for WTO and WIPO Studies at HNLU, who analysed the institutional development of the WTO; Ms. Shrivastav, who elaborated on career pathways within global trade institutions; and Ms. Aditi Warrier, Principal Associate at DGS Associates, who spoke on professional opportunities in international trade law practice, with a focus on law firm careers and emerging practice areas. The session concluded with an engaging question-and-answer interaction.
The event also saw the declaration of results of the 2nd Kautilya Society HNLU Article Writing Competition, 2025, organised in collaboration with the Centre for WTO and WIPO Studies and DGS Associates, New Delhi. The colloquium further marked the release of the book “Trade, Business & Sustainability” and the unveiling of a brochure for the 1st International Trade Law Summit titled “The WTO@30: Reimagining Multilateralism in International Trade Law”, scheduled to be held from October 2 to 4, 2026.
In addition, the International Network for Trade Advocacy, Development and Research (IN-TADR) was formally launched, signalling a new platform for collaboration among trade scholars and practitioners. Dr. Deepak Kumar Srivastava, Registrar (I/c), HNLU, delivered the welcome address, while the event was organised by Dr. Ankit Awasthi, Dr. Mayank Srivastava, Ms. Urvi Shrivastava and Dr. Ankit Singh, with student coordinators Kruthika Senthil Kumar and Sanjana Ramnath ensuring smooth conduct of the programme.
