A new multi-organization letter to Petro and his government urges them to take the Santa Marta Conference as an opportunity to reject free trade agreements and investment protects systems that put profiteers over communities.
All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) president Ashok Dhawale has alleged that India’s trade agreements with the United States have turned into a curse for farmers, severely impacting the agricultural sector. The trade deals had weakened domestic agriculture, while rising input costs such as fertilizers, pesticides, diesel, and seeds made farming increasingly unviable.
Countries and social movements are rising to demand a renewal of genuine multilateralism—one based on cooperation rather than oppression, and on participatory democracy rather than opaque representation.
Investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) threatens a just transition from fossil fuels and the urgent need for a social and ecological transformation for people and the planet.
The European ISDS Scorecard ranks 30 European countries across 10 indicators that capture the scale of each country’s treaty network, its policy direction, and the real-world use and financial impact of ISDS by its investors.
From 24-29 April 2026, Colombia and the Netherlands are co-hosting the First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels in Santa Marta. The goal is urgent and widely shared: to accelerate a just and orderly phase-out of coal, oil and gas.
Japan is pursuing trade negotiations with Mercosur to enhance economic security by diversifying export markets and reducing dependency on the US and China for critical materials like rare earths. While Japan’s agricultural sector remains cautious about competition from low-priced imports such as beef, growing trade uncertainty due to US tariffs is boosting support for the talks.
The India–Kenya Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations are advancing, with both nations working to address a significant trade imbalance and expand market access. Kenya is seeking greater export opportunities in India across agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing, while aiming to reduce its reliance on imports of items like refined petroleum and medicines.
The first round of negotiations for a South Korea–Pakistan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) has begun, with officials from both countries holding virtual talks to expand trade and investment in key sectors like economic cooperation, investment, intellectual property, and trade remedies.
The Bangladesh–US reciprocal trade agreement is shifting from a traditional tariff-focused model to one centered on regulatory convergence and strategic economic alignment, reflecting broader U.S. Indo-Pacific economic goals. The deal raises concerns over national policy autonomy and implicit geopolitical obligations.
The India–New Zealand FTA serves as a timely blueprint for Canada’s pursuit of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with India, demonstrating that fast-track negotiations are possible with key factors include immediate duty-free access, acceptance of tariff asymmetry, and recognition of India’s AYUSH system.
On March 31, 2026, AsiaSat lost its authorization to provide satellite capacity in India, which prompted the company to fire a bilateral investment treaty trigger notice at the Indian government