About HNLU
Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU) is a public law school and a National Law University located in New Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India. It was named after the former Chief Justice of India, Mohammad Hidayatullah. It is one of the autonomous law schools in India and seventh in the series of such national law schools. It was established as a centre for legal excellence by the Government of Chhattisgarh under the Hidayatullah National University of Law, Chhattisgarh Act (Act No.10 of 2003). The university offers a B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) integrated Program, an L.L.M. Program, and a PhD Course.
About International Trade Law Summit 2026
Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU), established in the year 2003, has carved out a niche in the realm of legal education, soaring to new heights with more than twenty years of its existence. HNLU, Raipur, through its Centre for WTO & WIPO Studies, School of Law and Technology, in collaboration with the WTO Young Trade Leaders Programme and the Centre for Trade and Investment Law (CTIL), IIFT, under the WTO Chairs Programme of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India is set to organise International Trade Law Summit on “The WTO@30: Reimagining Multilateralism in International Trade Law,” from 02 – 04 October 2026.
To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the World Trade Organization (WTO), this Summit is designed as an outreach of the WTO Young Trade Leaders Programme and aims to foster global trade awareness and career opportunities for young professionals.
The event will feature:
A) Mock WTO Exercise (First of its Kind in India), offering students a hands-on experience in multilateral trade diplomacy through a simulation of trade negotiations and resolution drafting – Registration still open.
B) Thematic Panel discussions and in-person technical sessions showcasing selected research papers and articles – Registration closed.
ITLS is open to academicians, researchers, professionals, practitioners, and students of law, business and economics from India and the international community
About Mock WTO Exercise
It serves as a forum for negotiating trade arguments, a place to settle trade disputes, and a system of rules that keeps global trade predictable and transparent. WTO is an entirely member-driven international body, where consensus holds power. This exercise provides the participant with an opportunity to step into the role of a Panellist or a Legal Counsel and interpret law in their own way. Participants will experience first-hand why the dispute settlement system is called the WTO’s most unique feature by navigating the actual procedural steps used in Geneva, and learn to draft interventions, form alliances and seek the elusive consensus.
Eligibility
Undergraduate and postgraduate students of law, economics, business, and allied disciplines (India and abroad).
Theme
The Intersection between Trade and the Digital Economy
The Mock WTO Exercise is designed to provide students with hands-on exposure to multilateral trade diplomacy, mirroring actual WTO negotiation processes.
Participation Framework
- Country Delegations representing WTO Members
- Provisional Committees, including:
- Council for Trade in Services
- Negotiating Group on Market Access
- TRIPS Council
- Trade and Competition
- Position Papers (to be compulsorily submitted by delegates)
- Committee Chairs to guide procedure and consensus-building
About the committees
Council for Trade in Services (CTS)
CTS is the forum where WTO members discuss issues relating to the implementation of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). The main objective of GATS is to reduce/eliminate governmental measures that prevent services from being freely supplied across national borders or that discriminate against locally established services firms with foreign ownership.
Negotiating Group on Market Access (NGMA)
NGMA is the WTO’s dedicated negotiating body for tariffs on Non-Agricultural Market Access goods. Covering manufactured goods, machinery, electronics, fuels, and more, which together account for nearly 90% of global merchandise trade. Its mandate, drawn from the Doha Ministerial Declaration 2001, is to reduce or eliminate high tariffs, tackle tariff peaks and tariff escalation, and address non-tariff barriers such as complex customs procedures and technical standards.
Trade and Competition
Established at the 1996 Singapore Ministerial Conference, the Working Group on the Interaction between Trade and Competition Policy (WGTCP) is one of the four original “Singapore issues” (alongside investment, government procurement, and trade facilitation). Competition policy refers to laws preventing businesses from unfairly dominating markets
TRIPS Council
TRIPS Council represents the Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. It’s the forum where WTO members discuss issues regarding the operation and implementation of the TRIPS Agreement -a multilateral agreement that seeks to establish certain global standards for the protection and enforcement of intellectual property (IP).
Registration & Fees
Click Here To Apply.
- Indian Delegates: INR 1200
- Foreign Delegates: USD 15
Bank Details
- Account Holder Name: Registrar, Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur
- Bank Name: State Bank of India
- Branch Address: Indravati Bhawan, Nava Raipur Atal Nagar
- Bank Account No.: 41394244908
- Bank IFSC Code: SBIN0018097
- Swift Code: SBININBB646
Accommodation
- INR 1500 per person for the duration
- University Hostel accommodation available (non-AC)
- Separate facilities for male and female participants
- Can be extended for INR 500 per day (subject to availability)
Prizes
Important Dates
Contact Information
Email: itls@hnlu.ac.in
For registration,
- Ms. Anindita Pati (Student Organising Committee) +91 70774 02233
- Ms. Soumya Yadav (Student Organising Committee) +91 98103 02478
For further details and queries, please contact:
- Dr. Ankit Awasthi, Head, Centre for WTO & WIPO Studies
- Ms. Kruthika Senthil Kumar Student Convenor, +91 96064 33029
- Ms. Amrita Nair, Student Co-convenor, +91 84848 08715
For more event details, please visit: Click Here
How to Apply: Click here to apply
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