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A high-level delegation from the University of Sussex and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) travelled to New Delhi in March to sign a landmark Memorandum of Understanding with the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), signalling a new era of UK-India cooperation on global trade governance.

The partnership comes at a critical juncture for the international community. As the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (#WTOMC14) approaches, the global trade landscape is facing unprecedented shifts, from the rise of a multipolar trade order to the urgent need for climate-resilient economic policies.

Bridging policy and reality

The collaboration was inaugurated with a roundtable titled ‘The Future of Trade & Development Cooperation’, held at the India Habitat Centre. The discussions addressed a central challenge of modern economics. The disconnect between high-level trade policy and the lived realities of marginalised and vulnerable groups.

Dr Amrita Saha, Lead for Trade and Development at IDS, emphasised that the future of trade must be built on trust and inclusivity. Dr Saha, whose research focuses on the political economy of trade policy and and inclusive trade, noted:

"Many challenges were underlined during our discussions in New Delhi, but the most critical lesson is the need for trust in global trade governance. We must ensure that trade policy doesn't just happen in a vacuum but responds to the needs of the most vulnerable."

A powerhouse of expertise

The MoU brings together three world-leading institutions, each contributing a unique pillar of expertise:

• The Institute of Development Studies (IDS): Represented by Dr Amrita Saha, and ranked first in the world for development studies (QS World University Rankings) for the tenth year, IDS brings a deep focus on how trade can be leveraged to reduce poverty and inequality.
• The University of Sussex:Prof Sambit Bhattacharyya, Head of Department of Economics at University of Sussex Business School (USBS), is a leading expert in development economics and the long-run drivers of growth, and played a key role in the delegation. Professor Bhattacharyya’s work on the historical and institutional roots of economic performance provides the vital context needed to understand India’s evolving role in the global economy.
• The UK Trade Policy Observatory (UKTPO): The research centre is the UK’s most trusted source of independent analysis on trade policy. Based within the University of Sussex Business School, the Observatory provides the analytical rigour needed to navigate the complexities of post-Brexit trade and global multilateralism.

The roundtable addressed the "triple threat" facing the global South: rising economic inequality, the pressure of the green transition, and the fragmentation of global supply chains. By formalising their partnership with RIS, India’s premier think tank for the Ministry of External Affairs, Sussex and IDS are positioning themselves at the heart of the Global South policy dialogue.

Prof Sachin Kumar Sharma, Director General of RIS, and Dr Seshadri Chari joined the Sussex delegation to emphasise that the new MoU will focus on joint research, knowledge exchange, and providing evidence-based solutions to the WTO.

As Dr Mattia Di Ubaldo noted ahead of the event, the goal is to bridge the gap between academic research and the realities of marginalised groups, ensuring that the future of international trade is both sustainable and equitable.

For the University of Sussex, this partnership reinforces our Global Engagement Strategy, fostering deep-rooted institutional links with India. It provides our researchers with a platform to influence policy at the highest levels of the Indian government and the WTO, while ensuring our students benefit from research that is globally relevant and socially engaged.

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