The Centre for Trade and Investment Law (CTIL) was established in the year 2016 by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, at the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT). The Centre’s primary objective is to provide sound and rigorous analysis of legal issues pertaining to international trade and investment law to the Government of India and other governmental agencies. The Centre is aiming to create a dedicated pool of legal experts who could provide technical inputs for enhancing India's participation in international trade and investment negotiations and dispute settlement. The Centre also aims to be a thought leader in the various domains of international economic law such as WTO law, international investment law and legal issues relating to economic integration.
It is CTIL's mission to identify, analyse and provide creative ideas and perspectives to influence the international discourse on wide ranging aspects of international economic law. The Centre engages on a regular basis with different stakeholders including central and state governments, think-tanks, research centres, national law schools and other institutions rendering legal education in international economic law, independent legal professionals, industry organizations and the private sector. The Centre is also conceived as a ready repository of trade and investment related information including updates on ongoing trade negotiations and disputes.