University contributes to regional digital trade publications, strengthening its role in international policy research and digital governance
TFP Bureau, Raipur, July 29, 2026: Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU), Raipur, has successfully completed its first TradeLab Project in collaboration with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) and the Centre for Trade and Investment Law (CTIL), New Delhi. The achievement marks a significant step in the university’s expanding engagement with international trade policy, digital governance, and policy-oriented legal research.
The collaborative project reflects HNLU’s growing focus on producing globally relevant research while providing students and faculty with opportunities to contribute to international policy initiatives.
As part of the project, the HNLU research team contributed to two major regional publications: the Digital Trade Regulatory Review for South and South-West Asia 2025 and the Regional Digital Trade Integration Index (RDTII) 2.1 Economy Profiles 2025. The reports cover Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Türkiye, and examine the evolving digital trade landscape across the region.
The publications were developed under the ESCAP–ECA–ECLAC Initiative on Digital Trade Regulatory Integration, led by Witada Anukoonwattaka, Economic Affairs Officer in ESCAP’s Trade, Investment and Innovation Division, in collaboration with CTIL through the TradeLab Project hosted at HNLU.
The initial drafts were prepared by HNLU students Sanjana Ramnath, Dhruvi Agarwal, and Garv Arora, with academic guidance and contributions from Satwik Shekhar, Dr. Ankit Awasthi, Tathagata Choudhury, and Samarth Nayar. The project highlights HNLU’s collaborative research model, combining faculty mentorship with student-led scholarship to address emerging issues in international trade regulation and digital commerce.
Congratulating the research team, HNLU Vice-Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) V. C. Vivekanandan said the successful completion of the university’s first TradeLab Project with UN ESCAP and CTIL reflects HNLU’s emergence as a centre for impactful policy research. He noted that digital trade is reshaping the global economy and emphasized the responsibility of higher education institutions to contribute evidence-based research that supports international policymaking. He also praised the dedication of the students and faculty and expressed confidence that the university would continue building meaningful collaborations with leading international organizations.
The successful completion of the project further strengthens HNLU’s international research collaborations and reinforces its commitment to interdisciplinary scholarship, capacity building, and meaningful contributions to regional and global policy discussions on trade, technology, and digital regulation.
