India has blocked the proposed incorporation of the China-led Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement into the WTO’s legal framework, standing firm despite pressure from several member nations. The IFD, aimed at promoting transparency and easing procedures for foreign direct investment, was backed by over 110 countries. However, India asserted that the WTO has no negotiating mandate on investment matters and warned that adopting the agreement without full consensus would violate the organization’s foundational principles. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal stated that India “showed the courage to stand alone” on this contentious issue, emphasizing that allowing non-consensus agreements under Annex 4 could set a dangerous precedent. India’s stance reflects its longstanding view that investment policy should remain under national jurisdiction, not multilateral trade rules, ensuring the WTO remains a trade-focused body rather than a forum for investment governance.