WT/TPR/ 451 
9 December  2020 
(20-8840) Page: 1/2 
Trade Policy Review Body   
 
 
TRADE POLICY REVIEW MECHANISM  
COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE TRADE POLICY REVIEW BODY  
INDIA 
Arrangements for Review Meeting  
1. In pursuance of Article  IV, paragraph  4 and Annex  3 of the WTO Agreement, a meeting of the 
Trade Policy Review Body is scheduled for 6 and 8 Januar y 2021 to conduct the  seventh  review of 
the trade policies and practices of India (WTO/AIR/ TPR/101). 
2. This com munication sets out arrangements  concerning the review meeting.  In this connection, 
attention is also drawn to the procedures for the conduct of reviews contained in the rules of 
procedure of the Trade Policy Review Body (WT/TPR/6/Rev. 4). 
1  QUESTIONS IN WRIT ING IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING AND MAIN POINTS  
3. Members wishing to submit written questions to the Member under review should do so normally 
at least two weeks before the review meeting to allow replies to be prepared in time for the  
first session of the meeting. In this case, t he process has been advanced by one week due to the 
year-end closure.  For the forthcoming review, such questions should therefore be with the Trade  
Policies Review Division of the Secretariat ( tprd@wto.org ) by 5.30 p.m., Wednesday  16 December  
2020 , at the latest. Delegations are informed that India has opted for the traditional way of handling 
questions and answers.  
4. In accordance  with the rules of procedure of the TPRB (WT/TPR /6/Rev.4, paragraph 17), 
Members are reminded that they should group their written questions into the following three 
categories so as to facilitate responses: those related to the Secretariat report (with a reference to 
relevant paragraph numbers); those concerning the Government report (with a reference to relevant 
paragraph numbers); and other questions.  
5. The Secretariat shall identify the main points contained in the questions submitted at least 
two  weeks before a review meeting  (in this case, three weeks) , post them on the Members' Website 
one week before the meeting  (in this case two weeks) , and distribute a revised list of main points 
during the first session of a review when questions received after the three -week deadline give rise 
to significantly new issues. The main points may be found on the Members' Websi te under 
"Forthcoming Meeting s: Documents for Meetings".  
ANSWERS IN WRITING BY THE MEMBER UNDER REVIEW  
6. Answers by the Member under review sho uld be distributed in writing; advance questions 
submitted by the t hree-week deadline before the start of the TPRB review should be answered in 
writing by the Member under revi ew by the start of the meeting.  Questions posed subsequently 
should be answered, to the extent possible, before the start of the second session of the meeting. 
Questions left unanswered at the end of the second session shoul d be answered in writing no later 
than one month after the meeting with some latitude in the Chair's discretion for Members reviewing 
a very large number of questions . WT/TPR/ 451 
 
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 7. In the course of the discussions at the review meeting, the Member under review may indi cate 
that it intends to provide supplementary information, in writi ng, on specific points raised. Upon 
receipt, the Secretariat will circulate a document containing this information to all Members.  
2  DISCUSSANT  
8. In consultation with the Member under review, t he Chairperson of the Trade Policy Review Body 
may choose a discussant who, in her/his personal capacity, will introduc e the discussions in the 
Body. H.E. Ms Sunanta  Kangvalkulkij  (Thailand ) will act as discussant  for the review of India. 
3  STRUCTURE OF THE MEETING  
9. Trade policy reviews cover four broad headings:  
a. appreciation of the full range of the Member's trade policies and practices;  
b. relevant background: wider economic and developmental needs, including the external 
environment;  
c. impact of  the Member's trade policies and practices on the functioning of the multilateral 
trading syst em; and 
d. general comments by way of assessment and evaluation.  
10. Meetings take place in two sessions. The first session is devoted to the opening statements by 
the M ember under review and the discussant, and remarks and questions from the floor. 
The discussion in the second session, when the Member under review will reply to questions, is  based 
on main themes identified after the opening meeting by the Chairperson, th e discussant and the 
Secretariat in consultation with the Member.  
11. As indicated in the rules of procedure for TPRB meetings (WT/TPR/6/Rev.4, paragraph 21), t he 
speakers ' list will follow the order in which questions are rec eived by the Secretariat and in the event 
of more than one batch, the final batch will determine the order of speakers.  Delegations not 
submitting written questions will continue to speak second, in the order in which their flags are 
raised.  On the day before each review meeting, the Secre tariat will post on the WTO Members' 
website a provisional list of speakers for the first session of that meeting, for Members' advance 
information . 
4  DOCUMENTATION AND PRESS ARRANGEMENTS  
12. Reports by the Member under review and the Secretariat are contained i n the following 
documents:  
WT/TPR/G/ 403  Report by India 
 
WT/TPR/S/ 403  India Report by the Secretariat  
13. The press embargo for the review of  India will end at 2.00 p.m. Geneva time on  6 Januar y 2021. 
5  RECORD OF THE MEETING  
14. The record of the meeting will be circulated as a draft to Members for comments on their own 
statements and placed on the WTO website.  
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