Three Day Online Course on Dispute Resolution in International Trade Law: Special Reference to India

About the Course

Dispute settlement lies at the heart of the rules-based multilateral trading system. The WTO Dispute Settlement System (DSS) is often described as the “crown jewel” of the WTO, offering members a structured and legally binding process to resolve trade conflicts. For India, participation in this system has been more than a matter of defending commercial interests; it has also served as a platform to assert developmental priorities, safeguard food security concerns, and contest unfair trade practices.

This course introduces participants to the dynamics of dispute resolution in international trade law, with a special reference to India’s experience. It traces the evolution of the DSS, highlights India’s active role in shaping WTO jurisprudence, and places these developments against the backdrop of contemporary global trade tensions. Through case studies, discussions, and simulations, learners will explore how disputes are not merely legal contests but also reflect deeper political, economic, and developmental challenges.

The course is designed to blend conceptual clarity with practical application. It does not limit itself to doctrinal understanding of WTO law, but situates India’s engagement in a wider context — one that involves strategic litigation choices, negotiation of trade-offs, and long-term policy implications. At a time when the DSS itself is facing a crisis of legitimacy and functionality, examining India’s approach provides critical insights into both the strengths and limits of international economic law.

By engaging with this course, participants will gain an appreciation of the legal, political, and strategic dimensions of WTO dispute resolution, and how India navigates these challenges while pushing for a more equitable and development-sensitive multilateral order.

Course Objectives

This course aims to provide participants with a comprehensive and practice-oriented understanding of dispute resolution in international trade law, with a special focus on India’s participation in the WTO dispute settlement system (DSS). The objective is to equip learners with both theoretical grounding and practical insights into how trade disputes are framed, litigated, and resolved.

Particular emphasis will be placed on trade remedies disputes (anti-dumping, subsidies, safeguards), which have been central to India’s experience before the WTO. The course will also explore agriculture-related disputes, given that agriculture remains one of the most contentious areas in WTO negotiations and litigation, with significant implications for India’s food security, livelihood concerns, and developmental priorities.

Beyond case-specific analysis, the course will highlight India’s litigation strategies, stakeholder engagement, and the impact of WTO rulings on India’s domestic policies. Participants will also be introduced to the evolving state of play in WTO dispute resolution including the current paralysis of the Appellate Body, the interim arbitration arrangements (such as the MPIA), and debates around reform of the DSS. Understanding these systemic challenges will help learners critically assess the strengths and shortcomings of the multilateral system.

Finally, the course will situate India’s stance within this broader context, examining how India balances its defensive and offensive trade interests, how it engages in shaping WTO jurisprudence, and how its participation in disputes reflects its wider vision of a fairer and more development-oriented multilateral trading system.

Course Outcome

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

  • Understand the structure, functioning, and evolution of the WTO dispute settlement system, including its current challenges and reform debates.
  • Analyse India’s role as a complainant, respondent, and third party in WTO disputes, with particular emphasis on trade remedies, agriculture and SPS-related disputes, as well as intellectual property and quantitative restrictions, thereby understanding how these cases have shaped India’s litigation strategies, influenced its domestic policies, and contributed to broader debates on reforming the WTO dispute settlement system.
  • Assess the impact of WTO rulings on India’s trade policy, agriculture, industry, and domestic regulatory framework.
  • Critically evaluate the state of play of dispute resolution, including the paralysis of the Appellate Body, the rise of alternative mechanisms (e.g., MPIA), and implications for India and other developing Members.
  • Gain practical skills in dispute resolution processes through drafting, case analysis, and mock dispute simulations, enabling them to frame legal strategies in real-world contexts.
  • Appreciate India’s stance and strategic positioning in WTO disputes and understand how its participation reflects broader systemic concerns about development, equity, and the future of multilateralism.

Schedule and Details of the Sessions

(Tentatively from December 12 – 14, 2025)

  • The WTO Dispute Settlement System: Structure, Objectives, and Evolution
  • Who participates In WTO Dispute Settlement System
  • Overview of Stages In WTO Dispute Settlement System
  • Panel Adjudication, composition and Challenges
  • Appellate Review In WTO Dispute Settlement System
  • Compliance and Enforcement in WTO Dispute Settlement System
  • ADR Mechanisms in WTO Dispute Settlement System
  • Reform Proposals: Strengthening Legitimacy, Transparency, and Developmental Balance
  • Substantive Issues and India’s Experience in WTO Disputes (I)
  • Substantive Issues and India’s Experience in WTO Disputes (II)
  • Where WTO stands today and what is its Future?

Eligibility

Candidates who are pursuing graduation or had graduated are eligible to register.

Admission Procedure

  • Submission of Online Application Form along with the required documents and the fee.
  • Direct admission subject to fulfilling the eligibility criteria.

Interested candidates may register for more than one course only when the dates of the sessions are not clashing.

Course fee: Rs. 10,000/-

How to Apply

All the candidates should apply online through the website www.nalsarpro.org

Last Date to Apply: December 10, 2025.

Conduct of the Course

Live sessions will be conducted online by academicians, professionals, and industry experts during weekends. Soft copy of the reference materials will be provided to the candidates.

If the enrollments are more than 100, then the University may conduct the classes in different batches on different dates.

Mode of Assessment

Online Examination will be conducted only once at the end of the course. The assessment may include MCQ, short answer questions, case study, or problem-based questions.

Award of Certificate (only soft copy through email)

  • Course Completion Certificate: Candidates securing 50% or more in the Assessment Test will be awarded the ‘Course Completion Certificate’.
  • Certificate of Participation: All other enrolled candidates will be awarded a ‘Certificate of Participation’.

Please note that certificates will be issued in soft copy format only and will be sent via email. Printed (hard) copies will not be provided.

Dr. Kapil Sharma

AI and Law

NALSAR University of Law 

Course Coordinator & the Instructors

Dr. Kapil Sharma, Assistant Professor, NALSAR University of Law

Dr. Kapil Sharma

Course Coordinator

Dr. Kapil Sharma is an Assistant Professor at NALSAR University of Law, specializing in International Trade Law (ITL), International Economic Law (IEL), and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). He teaches courses on International Trade Law, WTO Dispute Resolution, and International Economic Law, offering students a comprehensive understanding of the legal and institutional frameworks that shape global economic governance.

He holds a Ph.D. titled “A Tussle Between Rule of Law and a Power-Based System under the WTO Dispute Settlement System,” which critically examines the challenges facing WTO dispute resolution in the broader context of IEL.

Dr. Sharma has published extensively in national and international journals, contributed book chapters on international trade law and international economic law, and edited books on the subject. His work highlights the evolving intersections of trade, investment, and international law, emphasizing the need for balance between economic integration and regulatory autonomy.

Amb. Ujal Singh Bhatia (Former Appellate Body Chairperson and India’s Ambassador to the WTO)

Amb. Ujal Singh Bhatia

Amb. Ujal Singh Bhatia served as a Member of the WTO Appellate Body from 2011 to 2020 and was its Chairman in 2017–2018. Earlier, he was India’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the WTO (2004–2010) and had a distinguished career in the Indian Administrative Service. As India’s Chief Negotiator, he played a key role in the India–Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (ISLFTA) and the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA). With wide experience in trade policy and international negotiations, he frequently writes and speaks on trade, development, and sustainability.

Prof. Werner Zdouc (Former Director, Appellate Body Secretariat, WTO)

Prof. Werner Zdouc

Prof. Werner Zdouc was Director of the WTO Appellate Body Secretariat from 2006 to 2020. He is currently Director of the Knowledge and Information Management, Academic Outreach and WTO Chairs Programme Division of the WTO. He obtained a law degree from the University of Graz in Austria, an LLM from the University of Michigan, and a PhD from the University of St Gallen, Switzerland. He has been a visiting professor at leading universities across Europe and Asia and continues to be a major contributor to international trade law scholarship.

Prof. Abhijit Das (International Trade Policy and WTO Expert, Former Head of Centre for WTO Studies, New Delhi)

Prof. Abhijit Das

Prof. Abhijit Das has over twenty-five years of experience in international trade, including twelve years as Head of the Centre for WTO Studies, New Delhi, and five years in trade policy-making with the Government of India. A former officer of the Indian Audit and Accounts Service (1988 batch), he directly participated in key multilateral and FTA negotiations such as the WTO Doha Round. Author of Strategies in GATT and WTO Negotiations (OUP, 2025), he has co-edited several books and collaborated with leading international organisations including the WTO, UNCTAD, ITC, and WTI.

Dr. Rosmy Joan, Associate Professor of Law, NALSAR

Dr. Rosmy Joan

Dr. Rosmy Joan specializes in International Economic Law and serves as the Director of the Centre for International Trade and Business Laws at NALSAR. She previously taught for over a decade at National Law University, Jodhpur, where she led multiple academic and research centers including CARTAL and CSENRLP. She holds a Ph.D. in International Investment Law from NLU Jodhpur and LL.M (Gold Medal) from O.P. Jindal Global University.

Dr. Joan has received multiple national and international awards, including the Nani A. Palkhivala Gold Medal (2013) and The Hague Academy’s City of the Hague Scholarship (2015). She has been a Fulbright-Nehru Host Faculty and a Shastri Indo-Canadian Fellow. Her contributions to energy, investment, and trade law research are widely recognized.

Dr. Eluckiaa A., Assistant Professor of Law, NALSAR

Dr. Eluckiaa A.

Dr. Eluckiaa A. is an Assistant Professor of Law at NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, specializing in International Investment Law, International Trade Law, and Dispute Settlement. Her doctoral research at NLU Odisha examined regulatory autonomy in investment arbitration. She has over a decade of teaching and research experience and has led projects sponsored by the World Bank and Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Her academic work focuses on sustainability, investment regulation, and global economic governance.

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