IBSA Ministers Issue Strong Rebuke Against Protectionist Measures
New York City, USA – The India, Brazil, and South Africa (IBSA) Dialogue Forum has issued a strong condemnation of unilateral tariffs and coercive trade measures, asserting that such actions are discriminatory and inconsistent with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. The criticism came during a meeting of IBSA foreign ministers on September 27, 2025, held on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly in New York City.
The trilateral grouping warned that these protectionist practices risk destabilizing global markets, undermining the rules-based multilateral trading system, and potentially fragmenting global trade while marginalizing the Global South.
Concerns Over WTO Inconsistency and Market Destabilization
Ministers from the three nations expressed 'serious concern' over the proliferation of trade-restrictive actions, including indiscriminate tariff increases and non-tariff barriers, particularly those used as a means of coercion. They emphasized that such measures are 'inconsistent with the WTO' and threaten to 'further reduce global trade, disrupt global supply chains, and introduce uncertainty into international economic and trade activities.'
The IBSA statement highlighted the urgent need to restore an accessible and effective two-tier binding WTO dispute settlement mechanism, noting that a commitment made in December 2024 to achieve this had been missed. Furthermore, the ministers underscored the importance of agricultural trade remaining free from unilateral restrictions and protectionist measures, which they also deemed contrary to WTO rules.
Call for Rules-Based Trade and Multilateral Reform
The meeting saw India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, and South African Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga reaffirm their commitment to strengthening the centrality of a 'rules-based, transparent, non-discriminatory, fair, equitable, open, and inclusive multilateral trading system.' They specifically cited recent US tariffs, including 50% duties imposed on India and Brazil, and 30% on South Africa, as examples of measures causing tension.
The IBSA condemnation ran parallel to similar concerns voiced by the broader BRICS group of nations, whose foreign ministers also met in New York. Both groupings advocated for significant reforms to multilateral institutions, including the UN Security Council, to better represent the Global South.
IBSA's Enduring Commitment to South-South Cooperation
The IBSA Dialogue Forum, formalized in 2003 with the 'Brasilia Declaration,' serves as a crucial platform for promoting South-South cooperation and building consensus on global issues among these three large, multicultural democracies. The ministers reiterated their dedication to working constructively to reform and strengthen the multilateral trading system, ensuring predictability, stability, and a level playing field for international trade while preserving special and differential treatment for developing countries.
6 Comments
Muchacha
IBSA just wants to maintain the status quo where they can exploit loopholes. Time for a change.
Mariposa
Calling tariffs 'coercive' is rich. Maybe they should address their own unfair trade practices first.
lettlelenok
The call for a strengthened WTO dispute mechanism is critical for global trade stability, yet it's also true that the existing system has struggled to adapt to new economic realities. Reform is needed, but simply reversing tariffs might not solve deeper issues.
Bella Ciao
This is crucial for stability. Multilateralism over protectionism, always!
Bermudez
Reaffirming commitment to a rules-based system is good, but IBSA also needs to acknowledge that some nations feel the rules have been selectively enforced or ignored by others for too long. Trust in the system needs to be rebuilt by all participants, not just demanded.
Aidguy
The WTO is a toothless tiger. Countries need to defend their own economic interests.