India to Chair 9th UNCTAD Expert Group Session on Consumer Protection in Switzerland

India has been appointed to chair the Ninth Session of the International Group of Experts(IGE) on Consumer Protection Law and Policy. The session will be organised by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The meeting will be help on Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland from July 6 to 8 2026. 

Smt. Nidhi Khare will represent the Government of India. She will steer global discussions among UN member states, policy frameworks and international stakeholders on emerging consumer safety. 

Highlights of the 9th UNCTAD Meeting 

The International Group of Experts (IGE) serves as an intergovernmental platform for dialogue and international cooperation under the United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection(UNGCP). The 2026 session features several key agendas on consumer rights and protections. 

In this session, the launch of UN principles for Consumer Product Safety will be rolled out which were adopted in December 2025. 

India is actively participating in a high-level dialogue to focus on the practical application of the new safety guidelines across online and offline markets. 

The session will also conduct a comprehensive review of Argentina’s consumer protection laws and institutional frameworks on Consumer rights like the right to clear information, protection against misleading advertisements and mandatory warranty provisions. 

In this session member states are also going to discuss cross-border enforcement mechanisms, consumer education and strategies to advance sustainable consumption and protection in the digitalised era. 

Why India was chosen to Chair the UNCTAD Meeting 2026

The UN selection committee chose India as the chair of the UNCTAD 9th session due to its proactive, technology-driven approach to consumer grievance redressal. India showcased two successful domestic initiatives that serve as models for global cross-border dispute resolution during the UN conference in Geneva in July 2026. 

India’s key initiative on consumer rights and cross-border dispute resolution

The National Consumer Helpline (NCH)

The National Consumer Helpline (NCH) is based on the pre-litigation convergence model. The helpline successfully resolved over 1,47 lakh refund-related grievances in the last 14 months. It facilitates payouts and refunds worth more than ₹91.77 crore across 36 sectors before they escalated to the courts. 

The e-Jagriti Digital Platform

E-Jagriti is India’s technological platform that is backed by e-Jagriti. It is an AI-enabled platform designed for end-to-end consumer court operations. It allows citizens to file online complaints, attend virtual hearings related to consumer rights and protections and provides electronic access to the management case systems. 

The e-Jagriti platform extends these digital dispute resolution facilities to Nonresident Indians(NRIs) and international consumers living abroad setting a benchmark for across-border consumer protection.