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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo

@shansebolo.bsky.social
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International Trade Law and Sustainability | Past @iisd.org @DoC_GoI RA @UN ILC | Studies @gvagrad-law.bsky.social | Read Political Economy, International Law & more |

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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 21/03/2026
Okogu said that the slow results push countries to look for other fora, such as the CPTPP — the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership — which include the UK, Australia, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico and Vietnam, among others.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 21/03/2026
“Now we have 166 [members] and that, in my view, is one of the issues that need to be addressed. ... Members are frustrated that they've not been able to get results, and therefore they're taking unilateral actions,” said Okogu, a former Executive Director at the African Development Bank.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 21/03/2026
Trade ministers from WTO countries [..] should discuss changing the WTO's decision-making system to be able to take quicker action, according to the WTO’s chief of staff. “One member has the right to veto everything that's been negotiated. That means you cannot perform”. www.mlex.com/mlex/trade/a...
mlex.com
WTO meeting should focus on changing decision-making process, senior official says | MLex | Specialist news and analysis on legal risk and regulation
Trade ministers from the 166 World Trade Organization member countries, who will meet next week, should discuss changing the organization's decision-making process to be able to make decisions faster,...
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
The US has today notified to the WTO its decision to introduce import restrictions under Section 122 taken for balance-of-payment (BoP) purposes. Other WTO Members may request a review of this notification under the 1994 Understanding on BOP provisions of the GATT. URL: docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages...
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
"India has opposed [IFDA], but it is hard to see why. India anyway needs to do all this to attract investment, which is absolutely necessary to grow at higher rates. [..] foreign capital brings technology and can enable the country’s integration into GVCs." www.business-standard.com/opinion/edit...
business-standard.com
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
Sources said that India has taken up the issue of the absence of a direct mention of PSH and SSM in the draft Ministerial declaration and underlined its importance for developing countries and the fact that it has been pending for almost a decade.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
India will continue to push for prioritising a long-pending permanent solution on public stockholding at #MC14, as it remains critical for safeguarding its MSP-based food security programmes from potential legal challenges in the future, sources said. www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/indi...
thehindubusinessline.com
India to stay focussed on food stockholding solution as WTO draft sidesteps key issues
India aims to prioritize food stockholding solutions at the WTO, amid concerns over US influence in agriculture negotiations.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
However, the official said both the US and India agreed that the reform process should remain member-driven. “Let members negotiate with members. The faci­litator should have a limited role. This is the biggest point of convergence with the US.”
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
India and the US are set to clash at WTO #MC14 over reforms agenda of the multilateral trade body [..] “We are saying foundational aspects of WTO should not change. Pending mandates should be addressed. Before new things are added” an [Indian] official said. www.business-standard.com/economy/news...
business-standard.com
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Reposted by Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo
Peter Ungphakorn @coppetainpu.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
TREADING WATER Part 1 What to expect at the Yaoundé WTO Ministerial Conference CONTENTS: Hostile climate | WTO reform | Fisheries subsidies | Agriculture | Investment facilitation | Digital trade | Anything else? | Time to talk | Legacy With @bobwolfe.bsky.social 2/2
tradebetablog.wordpress.com
Treading water—what to expect at the Yaoundé WTO Conference
Part 1. At the very least, the trade ministers must agree to continue talking and commit to keeping the WTO afloat. The world economy depends on it
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
Interestingly, while the WTO has historically extended the moratorium on e-commerce tariffs in tandem with the moratorium on the TRIPS non-violation moratorium (preventing disputes where no specific rule was broken), the US has made no mention of it.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
In a draft MC declaration [..], US demanded not only that the moratorium be made permanent, but that its scope be expanded. The proposal, backed by eighteen others, seeks to move beyond the carrier medium (bits and bytes) to explicitly cover transmitted content, including films, software, and music.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
New Delhi has argued that the duty-free regime [..] has tilted the playing field in favour of a handful of developed economies that dominate digital exports, while depriving developing countries of a growing and potentially significant source of revenue. www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/wto-...
thehindubusinessline.com
WTO MC14: India opposes US bid for permanent ban on e-commerce duty
WTO MC14: India opposes US bid for permanent ban on e-commerce duty
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
Ahead of #MC14, they sought a multilateral guiding principles of transparency, interoperability and competition in remittance services.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
India, Pakistan, Morocco and the 45-member Africa Group on Tuesday asked members of the WTO to commit to promote an international financial system to facilitate cross-border remittance transfers under fair and low-cost conditions. #MC14 m.economictimes.com/news/india/i...
m.economictimes.com
India, Pakistan, others tell WTO to facilitate cross-border remittance transfers fairly
India, Pakistan, Morocco, and the Africa Group urged WTO members to commit to a fair and low-cost international financial system for cross-border remittances. Ahead of the ministerial conference, they...
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
India is set to oppose a key US-led WTO proposal seeking a permanent moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions at the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) set to be held in Cameroon later this month, The Indian Express has learned. #MC14 indianexpress.com/article/busi...
indianexpress.com
Flashpoint at WTO: India set to oppose US proposal seeking permanent ban on e-transmission duties
US wants continuation of moratorium, but India sees it as a deterrent towards taxing the digital economy
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 08/03/2026
Thank you for sharing! 🙏
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Reposted by Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo
Kirsten Ostermann @kirstenostermann.bsky.social · 22/02/2026
Shantanu Singh, spoke with AJE about the life of and compliance with US trade deals by trade partners after the SCOTUS ruling invalidating the use of the IEEPA to impose tariffs, the resort to Section 122 to impose temporary and more. @shansebolo.bsky.social www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/...
aljazeera.com
Trump tariff chaos: What does 15% levy mean for trade deals the US signed?
From the EU to Vietnam to the UK and India, multiple countries had signed or finalised trade deals with the US.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 10/01/2026
Helpful table of trade authorities and their respective limits and requirements that the Trump administration can resort to if the SCOTUS finds illegal the reciprocal tariffs imposed under the IEEPA. From: customsandinternationaltradelaw.com/2026/01/09/i...
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Reposted by Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo
Kirsten Ostermann @kirstenostermann.bsky.social · 08/01/2026
EU/India Trade Talks India seeks flexibility in CBAM, steel quotas as FTA talks with EU enter final lap. "It is clear that the EU will not give exemption from CBAM to any country (...)," source tracking the matter told businessline. www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/indi...
thehindubusinessline.com
India seeks flexibility in CBAM, steel quotas as FTA talks with EU enter final lap
India seeks concessions on CBAM and steel quotas as FTA negotiations with the EU approach conclusion, aiming for strategic advancements.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 15/12/2025
Having missed the ‘Fall’ deadline, India is aiming to conclude the first tranche of the BTA before [2025]. Yet, despite the latest round of meetings in New Delhi and a phone call between Prime Minister and the US President, there is still no clarity regarding the finalisation of the deal.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 15/12/2025
The US team, on the other hand, has been insisting that agriculture-related market access, digital trade, and non-tariff barriers are some of the issues that still need to be sorted. That apart, some work of the legal text also needs to be fine-tuned.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 15/12/2025
It is learnt that the Indian side had made its offer during the October round of talks. Since then, the Indian side has maintained that most differences have been narrowed down and there is no need for a fresh round of negotiation.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 15/12/2025
“The US (side) feels that certain aspects of the digital personal data protection law are a non-tariff barrier for American companies,” a person aware of the matter told Business Standard.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 15/12/2025
Another issue raised relates to the strict compliance norms for social media and internet intermediaries under the IT Rules, 2021. These rules require all such companies to appoint nodal officers for round-the-clock coordination with law enforcement agencies and to look into users’ grievances.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 15/12/2025
One of these is the data localisation norms prescribed under the DPDP executive rules, which allow cross-border data transfers but says a government-appointed committee can, at any time, decide if particular types of data will no longer be allowed to be transferred or processed outside India.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 15/12/2025
During the meetings held on December 10-11 with India's Commerce Minister, Secretary and chief negotiator Darpan Jain, Washington flagged specific provisions in the DPDP rules and IT Rules that it considers non-tariff barriers for American companies. www.business-standard.com/economy/news...
business-standard.com
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 13/12/2025
The EU wants New Delhi to raise the quota of about 80,000 cars it could export to India under a reduced tariff, some of the people said. New Delhi, meanwhile, is seeking an easing of duties on some steel products exported to the EU and wants flexibility around [the CBAM].
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 13/12/2025
While both sides made another political push after the summer break to finalize the deal, technical issues remain. The final outcome will likely be an agreement that’s more limited in terms of its ambition compared with others concluded by the EU in recent years, the people said.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 13/12/2025
Negotiations are now likely to stretch into next month, with both sides still hoping to clinch a deal that can be announced when Commission President Ursula von der Leyen leads a delegation to New Delhi in January, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 13/12/2025
Quelle surprise: Trade negotiators from India and the EU are no longer optimistic they can finalize a trade agreement by the end of the year, with talks stuck on a few key issues like steel and automobiles, according to people familiar with the matter. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
bloomberg.com
EU and India Unlikely to Finalize Trade Agreement by End of Year
Trade negotiators from India and the European Union are no longer optimistic they can finalize a trade agreement by the end of the year, with talks stuck on a few key issues like steel and automobiles...
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 11/12/2025
According to the press note, both sides are now in the process of securing internal approvals for the final deal. However, according to sources, this is more of a formality, with the deal having been finalised and the signing set to happen soon.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 11/12/2025
Indian Prime Minister and Commerce Minister are expected to travel to Oman next week to sign an FTA [..] A Cabinet proposal regarding the deal, submitted in March 2024, was deferred at the time, prompting further renegotiations. www.thehindu.com/business/pm-...
thehindu.com
PM Modi, Piyush Goyal expected to travel to Oman next week to sign free trade agreement
PM Modi and Piyush Goyal to visit Oman next week to sign a free trade agreement, finalizing key international trade talks.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 10/12/2025
The reality is that the DCC is currently being negotiated, pursuant to side letters exchanged at the time of CETA's signing committing the two parties to ensuring that the CETA and the DCC enter into force simultaneously.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 10/12/2025
Also notable is the government's response concerning the India-UK Double Contributions Convention (DCC). Since the signing of the CETA in July, several newspapers wrongly reported that the DCC has been signed.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 10/12/2025
Importantly, the government has stated that no legislative changes are required to implement the CETA. Tariff concessions and preferential rules of origin will be notified under existing laws, as is done for other trade agreements.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 10/12/2025
The Indian government has yesterday informed the Parliament that the Union Cabinet's approval for the signing and ratification of the India-UK CETA has been obtained. As a result, internal procedures for ratification of the treaty by India are complete.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 09/12/2025
The review will also set up a subsidy scheme for exporters to ensure that they are not undercut [..] when selling in third countries. But negotiations are ongoing as to the source of the financing as [CBAM] proceeds [..] are already [..] committed to other parts of the [budget].
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 09/12/2025
The commission is currently deciding in a separate process how to calculate the amount of tax that importers will have to pay for products that do not pay an equivalent carbon levy.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 09/12/2025
The products that will be included will be decided on the basis of the amount of CBAM material they use and how much risk there is that they could be produced outside the bloc, EU officials said.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 09/12/2025
The aim of extending the [CBAM] to downstream products, as well as raw commodities, is to prevent importers setting up facilities in Turkey or other neighbouring countries to process CBAM materials into finished goods before importing them in order to get around the charge.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 09/12/2025
CBAM review, which had been due to be presented on December 10, is likely to be delayed by a week, according to two EU officials, due to internal negotiations over the proposals, which also include anti-circumvention measures and subsidies for exporters. www.ft.com/content/4826...
ft.com
EU expands carbon border tax to garden tools and washing machines
Changes are intended to close loopholes in law to prevent carbon-intensive imports
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 08/12/2025
If the government remains committed to the CCTS, better implementation is required. Building a functioning carbon market requires deep knowledge in financial markets, public finance, economics, and trade law. We should not assume that notification of a scheme equates to the solution of the problem.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 08/12/2025
The resulting treaty with the UK gave headlines, but it was not a deep trade agreement. It did not integrate markets in a way that reduces friction for high-value exchange. As we turn our eyes to the EU, we must avoid this mistake.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 08/12/2025
Substantial diplomatic capital was expended in [talks with UK], with an objective to seek exemptions from carbon adjustments. This was a misallocation of effort. A deep FTA cannot be obtained when one seeks to carve out exceptions to fundamental fiscal principles like VAT or carbon border pricing.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 08/12/2025
"Indian firms look better than peers partly because the cost of pollution is not reckoned correctly [..] This outperformance is a trap. When selling into CBAM countries, this pollution arbitrage vanishes. Failures of electricity policy now harm exporters." www.business-standard.com/opinion/colu...
business-standard.com
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 08/12/2025
Shishir Priyadarshi: "If India blocks plurilateral efforts inside the WTO, it does not stop the evolution of rules. It simply ensures that innovation happens in exclusive settings where India is not in the room." sundayguardianlive.com/opinion/indi...
sundayguardianlive.com
India at the WTO: Strategic caution or self-inflicted isolation?
India’s approach at the WTO is still driven by a mindset formed in the late 1990s: that saying ‘no’ is an essential first step that protects policy autonomy, and that resisting new negotiations is the...
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 03/12/2025
Congratulations Prof!
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 03/12/2025
The Indian Express had reported that India had pitched for a similar provision in the trade deal with the UK to ensure that when London introduces its version of CBAM, it does not impact the concession won by India under the trade deal.
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Shantanu Singh / @shansebolo @shansebolo.bsky.social · 03/12/2025
On the [CBAM], India has introduced a ‘rebalancing’ provision, as it is unlikely that the EU is willing to give [India] a concession. The rebalancing provision would mean that if Indian products face a restriction in EU market access, India will subject EU products to restrictions in equal measure.
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