The Centre for Trade and Investment Law (CTIL), Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, recently organised a workshop on ‘The Investment Facilitation Landscape: Emerging Trends and Approaches’ in collaboration with CII, ITC, UNCTAD, the World Bank and the World Economic Forum at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The workshop brought together policymakers, government officials, global experts and industry stakeholders to examine evolving approaches to investment facilitation and ease of doing business.

The programme featured three technical sessions covering India’s approach to investment facilitation, the international investment facilitation framework, linkages with ease of doing business, and options for international cooperation. Discussions focused on aligning India’s domestic reforms with global best practices to strengthen investor confidence. Speakers highlighted recent policy measures such as licence rationalisation, decriminalisation of minor offences, digital compliance systems, and balanced regulation of intellectual property and artificial intelligence.

The sessions also examined investment facilitation from a WTO perspective, including the role of investment protection agreements, cooperation and facilitation investment agreements, and trade agreements with investment provisions. Comparative insights from countries such as Nigeria, Vietnam and Australia underscored the importance of effective grievance redressal and regulatory certainty. The workshop concluded with interactive discussions, reinforcing its role as a platform for policy dialogue and knowledge exchange.