India Blocks WTO Investment Pact, Citing Sovereignty Risks and Lack of Consensus

• India registered a lone dissent against the proposed Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) agreement at the WTO.
• New Delhi opposed its inclusion as an Annex 4 pact, arguing it erodes WTO's functional boundaries and foundational principles.
• India maintained IFD is not strictly a trade issue and requires full consensus, which it lacks.
• Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal cited Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy, emphasizing truth over conformity.
• India seeks legal safeguards for plurilateral agreements before integration, while remaining open to engagement.