The Centre for Trade and Investment Law (CTIL) celebrated its 9th anniversary with an event at the Prime Minister's Museum and Library in New Delhi on October 7, 2026. Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal, in a video address, highlighted that established rules are being questioned while emerging issues such as sustainability-linked trade measures and digital trade are reshaping the global trade agenda. He emphasized that rigorous legal thinking is more important than ever and noted that CTIL has earned the trust of the government, industry, and trade law community through its sustained work, including contributions to free trade agreement negotiations, dispute settlement, and institutional memory building.
Justice P. S. Narasimha of the Supreme Court of India observed that international investment law has evolved from focusing on foreign investment protection toward greater recognition of state regulatory freedom. He underscored the need for a durable framework that balances investment protection with state regulatory authority, noting the field now faces questions of institutionalization, legitimacy, and long-term balance.
CTIL Head Prof. James J. Nedumpara highlighted that the center was established to strengthen India's trade capacity as part of economic statecraft, revealing that CTIL has provided over 4,000 legal opinions, participated in negotiations concerning nearly 10 free trade agreements, and contributed to WTO negotiations, submissions, notifications, and dispute settlement.
Additional Secretary Yashvir Singh highlighted CTIL's contributions to India's major trade engagements including support for free trade agreements and engagements such as G20 and BRICS, while Vice Chancellor Dr. K. Rangarajan recalled the evolution of specialized trade-policy institutions at IIFT. Joint Secretary Kapil Chaudhary highlighted CTIL's expanding research in emerging areas including critical minerals, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, supply chains, climate and sustainability.
During the event, CTIL released its ninth anniversary magazine titled "The Emerging Sustainability Landscape: Responding to Shifting Winds," which examines opportunities and challenges developing countries face in the evolving intersection of trade and sustainability. A special anniversary edition of Investment Law Compass, CTIL's monthly newsletter on investment law and policy developments, was also launched. The event concluded with Distinguished Long Service Awards presented to CTIL faculty and staff members.