About the Summit
Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU), established in 2003, has completed more than two decades of excellence in legal education.
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 organizing the International Trade Law Summit 2026 on the theme “The WTO@30: Reimagining Multilateralism in International Trade Law” from October 2–4, 2026.
The Summit commemorates the 30th anniversary of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and aims to foster global trade awareness and career opportunities for young professionals.
The summit will feature the following:
- Mock WTO Exercise (first of its kind in India), offering students hands-on experience in multilateral trade diplomacy through a simulation of trade negotiations and resolution drafting. (Registrations are open.)
- Thematic panel discussions and in-person technical sessions showcasing selected research papers and articles. (Registrations closed)
The summit is open to academicians, researchers, professionals, practitioners, and students of law, business, and economics from India and abroad.
About the Mock WTO Exercise
The Mock WTO Exercise serves as a forum for negotiating trade arguments, resolving trade disputes, and understanding the rules that make global trade predictable and transparent.
As the WTO is an entirely member-driven international organisation where consensus is central, the exercise enables participants to assume the roles of panelists or legal counsel, interpret international trade law, and engage with WTO dispute settlement procedures followed in Geneva.
Participants will also gain practical experience in drafting interventions, forming alliances, and building consensus.
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 by mirroring actual WTO negotiation processes.
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). It aims to reduce or eliminate governmental measures that restrict the cross-border supply of services or discriminate against locally established services firms with foreign ownership.
Negotiating Group on Market Access (NGMA)
NGMA is the WTO’s negotiating body dealing with tariffs on Non-Agricultural Market Access (NAMA) goods, including manufactured goods, machinery, electronics, fuels, and other products accounting for nearly 90% of global merchandise trade.
Its mandate under the Doha Ministerial Declaration, 2001, includes reducing or eliminating tariffs, addressing tariff peaks and tariff escalation, and tackling non-tariff barriers such as 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 original “Singapore issues.” Competition policy concerns laws that prevent businesses from unfairly dominating markets.
TRIPS Council
The TRIPS Council deals with issues concerning the implementation and operation of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), which establishes global standards for the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights.
For more information on the committees and the competition structure, visit the Centre’s Instagram handle and LinkedIn profile.
Eligibility
Undergraduate and postgraduate students of:
- Law
- Economics
- Business
- Allied disciplines
Students from India and abroad are eligible to participate.
Participation Framework
The exercise includes:
- Country delegations representing WTO members.
- Provisional Committees:
- Council for Trade in Services
- Negotiating Group on Market Access
- TRIPS Council
- Trade and Competition
- Mandatory position papers to be submitted by delegates.
- Committee chairs to guide procedure and consensus-building.
Registration Fee
- Indian Delegates: ₹1,200
- Foreign Delegates: USD 15
How to Register?
Check the registration details at the end of the post!
Bank Details
- Account Holder: Registrar, Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur
- Bank: State Bank of India
- Branch: Indravati Bhawan, Nava Raipur Atal Nagar
- Account Number: 41394244908
- IFSC: SBIN0018097
- SWIFT Code: SBININBB646
Accommodation
- Rs. 1,500 per person for the duration of the event.
- University hostel accommodation (non-AC) is available.
- Separate accommodation for male and female participants.
- Accommodation may be extended at ₹500 per day, subject to availability.
Prizes
Delegate Awards
- Best Delegate
- Outstanding Delegate (First Runner-up)
- High Commendation
- Honourable Mentions
- Best Delegation
Position Paper Awards
- Best Position Paper
- First Runner-up – Position Paper
- Second Runner-up – Position Paper
For further details regarding prizes, visit the Centre’s Instagram handle and LinkedIn profile.
Important Dates
- Last Date for Registration & Fee Payment: August 10, 2026
- International Trade Law Summit: October 2–4, 2026
Click here to register!
