WTO Reform: India Must Lead in Modernizing Global Trade Rules

• The 1995-era WTO framework struggles to address today's complex global landscape, marked by digital trade, geopolitics, and intertwined technology.
• While there's universal agreement on WTO reform, consensus on specific changes remains elusive, echoing past stalled negotiations like the Doha Round.
• Key reform areas include re-evaluating developing countries' roles, strengthening WTO governance, and integrating the private sector into policy discussions.
• India, a growing economic power, has a critical stake in a stable, rules-based global trading system to achieve its manufacturing and export ambitions.
• India should proactively lead WTO reform, acting as a bridge between developed and developing nations to shape a modern, effective trade agenda.