Vaasu Aggarwal

[ASEAN India Centre @AIC_aseanindia]

The ASEAN-India Centre (AIC) at the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) hosted 24 ASEAN diplomats from 11 ASEAN member states today at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, for a day-long programme focused on deepening regional engagement and cooperation.

The event began with welcome remarks by Dr. Pankaj Vashisht (@PV_Chat), Associate Professor and Coordinator, AIC at RIS, along with Dr. Amrita Banerjee (@amritaban), IFS, Deputy Secretary (@SSIFS_MEA) and Dr. Prabir De (@Prabir_India), setting the context for discussions.

First session of the day, delivered by Dr. Rajan Sudesh Ratna (@RajanRatna), Coordinator, DAKSHIN, RIS and Former Dy. Head, @SSWA_UNESCAP, on ASEAN-India Trade and Investment Relations, highlighted evolving economic linkages between the two regions. The session by Dr. Prabir De, Professor, RIS focussed on Securing Regional Value Chains (RVC) between ASEAN and India, highlighting the importance of resilience and integration of GVCs and RVCs. Cmde. Sujeet Samaddar (@sujeetsamaddar), Visiting Fellow, RIS delivered the final session of the day on Sustainable Maritime Security and Cooperation, addressing emerging challenges and opportunities in the maritime domain. The interactions provided a valuable platform for dialogue and knowledge exchange, reinforcing ASEAN-India partnership.

@SKSharma_World @RIS_NewDelhi @cmec_ris @MEAIndia @joselignacioPHL @PHinIndia @indiatoasean @ASEAN @aseanfoundation @ThailandinIndia @AmbHanoi @VNinINDIA @MyanmarEmbDelhi @DakshinNews @SGinIndia @indembcam @HCIBrunei @IndianEmbJkt @hcikl @kbrinewdelhi @IndianEmbLaos @MYHCNewDelhi @Vaasu_Agg

[RIS @RIS_NewDelhi]

𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗧𝗢: 𝗜𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
𝘈𝘯𝘸𝘢𝘳 𝘏𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘪𝘬, 𝘗𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘢𝘫 𝘝𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘝𝘢𝘢𝘴𝘶 𝘈𝘨𝘨𝘢𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘭

This paper situates the IFD within the broader evolution of global trade and investment governance and examines its implications for the multilateral trading system. It argues that although the agreement avoids contentious issues such as market access, investment protection, and investor-state dispute settlement, its procedural disciplines effectively internationalise domestic regulatory practices and create new forms of binding commitments. It concludes by assessing India’s strategic choices at the Fourteenth Ministerial Conference (MC14).

🔗𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞: https://t.co/CW4qgoKf0j

@MEAIndia @DoC_GoI @IndiaWTO @wto @aparnaray_ifs @SKSharma_World @Prabir_India @TheAtulKaushik @sabya_saha @pdash76 @PV_Chat @AmitK_PhD @susheco @GaurPankhuri @Vaasu_Agg @AIC_aseanindia @DakshinNews @cmec_ris @fitm14 @fisd19

#InvestmentFacilitation #TradePolicy #WTO #MC14 #WTDR2026 #GlobalTrade #WTO #MC14 #MinisterialConference #Yaounde #Cameroon #MarrakeshAgreement #EconomicGovernance #TradeAndDevelopment #InternationalTrade #TradeNegotiations #InvestmentPolicy #IFD #Multilateralism #TradeReform #Plurilateral

[RIS @RIS_NewDelhi]

𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 | 𝗥𝗜𝗦 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲 & 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 2026 𝗶𝗻 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀

Ahead of WTO MC14, media coverage draw on insights from the 𝘙𝘐𝘚 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦 & 𝘋𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘙𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 2026, highlighting India’s approach.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 explains that India is concerned about policy space, development asymmetries, and agricultural priorities, reflecting themes flagged in the RIS report.
🔗 Read article at: https://t.co/1FeA4s1d4m

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲 notes that India will focus on core priorities amid WTO reform push, mirroring RIS’s emphasis on protecting developing countries’ negotiating space.
🔗 Read article at: https://t.co/zlTjlZHJxS

@MEAIndia @DoC_GoI @IndiaWTO @wto @aparnaray_ifs @SKSharma_World @Prabir_India
@TheAtulKaushik @sabya_saha @pdash76 @PV_Chat @AmitK_PhD @susheco @CWS_iift @GaurPankhuri
@RenuuMann @__ayussh__ @Vaasu_Agg @LakhianiRiddhi @JindalGLS @JindalLaw @JindalGlobalUNI @AIC_aseanindia @DakshinNews @cmec_ris @fitm14 @fisd19

#WTDR2026 #GlobalTrade #WTO #MinisterialConference #MC14 #InternationalTrade #TradeAndDevelopment

[RIS @RIS_NewDelhi]

𝗥𝗜𝗦 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳 | 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐃𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐦𝐚 𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐂 14

Research and Information System for Developing Countries (@RIS_NewDelhi), is pleased to release its latest Policy Brief examining the evolving debate on the proposed Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement at the WTO.

As MC14 approaches, the IFD has emerged as a critical and contested issue shaping the future of the multilateral trading system, raising fundamental questions for developing countries on policy space, mandate, and consensus-based governance.

Co-authored by Anwar H. Shaikh, Pankaj Vashisht (@PV_Chat) and Vaasu Aggarwal (@Vaasu_Agg), the brief traces the trajectory of investment discussions, from the Singapore Ministerial (1996) and the 2004 “negative mandate” to the current push through Joint Statement Initiatives.

It critically analyses the IFD’s design, highlighting how procedural disciplines on transparency and regulatory cooperation may effectively internationalise domestic investment regimes. The brief also flags key legal and institutional concerns, particularly regarding its proposed incorporation under Annex 4 of the Marrakesh Agreement.

At a time when over 75% of WTO Members support the IFD, the brief underscores India’s strategic dilemma at MC14, balancing institutional integrity and development policy space against the pressures of an increasingly plurilateral trade order.

🔗𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗮𝘁:
https://t.co/4HDqYlQVEj

@MEAIndia @DoC_GoI @IndiaWTO @wto @aparnaray_ifs @SKSharma_World @Prabir_India @TheAtulKaushik @sabya_saha @pdash76 @AmitK_PhD @susheco @GaurPankhuri @AIC_aseanindia @DakshinNews @cmec_ris @fitm14 @fisd19

#InvestmentFacilitation #TradePolicy #WTO #MC14 #EconomicGovernance #TradeAndDevelopment #InternationalTrade #TradeNegotiations #InvestmentPolicy #Multilateralism #TradeReform

[Vaasu Aggarwal @Vaasu_Agg]

New skill unlocked: Published author

[RIS @RIS_NewDelhi]

Investment Facilitation in the Global Trading System
𝘈𝘯𝘸𝘢𝘳 𝘏𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘪𝘬, 𝘗𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘢𝘫 𝘝𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘵, 𝘝𝘢𝘢𝘴𝘶 𝘈𝘨𝘨𝘢𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘭

Mr. Anwar Hussain Shaik, Former Chairperson, WTO-TBT Committee noted that the Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement, while presented as a tool for improving transparency and administrative efficiency, raises deeper concerns for developing countries regarding policy space and the evolving trajectory of multilateral trade governance. Questions around mandate and the erosion of consensus-based decision-making are central. In this context, it remains both legally and strategically prudent for India to continue opposing its incorporation under Annex 4 of the Marrakesh Agreement.

@PV_Chat @Vaasu_Agg

[RIS @RIS_NewDelhi]

𝗜𝗻𝗮𝘂𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 #𝗪𝗧𝗗𝗥2026 𝗟𝗮��𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗜 𝗥𝗜𝗦 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 2026

@RIS_NewDelhi will release the World Trade and Development Report 2026, its flagship publication providing analytical insights and policy perspectives on key global trade issues.

We are deeply honoured and privileged to have highly distinguished speakers addressing us at the launch of the #WTDR2026 Report.

Since 2003, RIS has published this report ahead of major WTO Ministerial Conferences, focusing on the priorities and concerns of developing countries.

#WTDR2026 situates the key issues before MC14 within a broader development framework, highlighting the need for a secure and predictable, inclusive, fair, and rules-based multilateral trading system.

The report draws upon contributions from over 30 distinguished trade experts, former negotiators, academics, and scholars and researchers. It is also shaped by an extensive consultative process, including 12 Brainstorming sessions that engaged more than 100 experts, diplomats, and trade practitioners.

These discussions bridge research and policy, ensuring that the report reflects both the realities of trade negotiations and broader development priorities.

@dravirmani @NITIAayog @SudhakarDalela @MEAIndia @DoC_GoI @IndiaWTO @wto @aparnaray_ifs @SKSharma_World @Prabir_India

@TheAtulKaushik @Abhijit_trade @sabya_saha @pdash76 @PV_Chat @AmitK_PhD @susheco @SuvayanNeogi @CWS_iift @GaurPankhuri @RenuuMann @__ayussh__ @Vaasu_Agg @LakhianiRiddhi @JindalGLS @JindalLaw @JindalGlobalUNI @AIC_aseanindia @DakshinNews @cmec_ris @fitm14 @fisd19

#WTDR2026 #GlobalTrade #WTO #MinisterialConference #MC14 #InternationalTrade #TradeAndDevelopment

[Jyotirmoy Bhattacharya @yomritoyj]

"I disagree with you." Either you make a friend or make an enemy. No need to hold ambiguous states in your relationship db.

[Vaasu Aggarwal @Vaasu_Agg]

@Decathlon_India I ordered a road bike on 19-12-2020 with order ID 2010026344, it has been 5 days and I haven’t received any updates as to where my product is. I also haven’t received any reply from your customer service for a mail written on the same date for a previous issue.