New Delhi, June 4 -- World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on Tuesday urged India to reconsider its opposition to a China-backed investment facilitation initiative, emphasising the need for developing country leadership ahead of next year's ministerial conference.

The appeal came during discussions with Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.

Okonjo-Iweala acknowledged the unprecedented disruption facing the multilateral trading system while calling on India to support the investment facilitation for the development proposal.

The WTO chief highlighted that 90 of the 126 member countries backing the initiative are developing nations, suggesting broad support within this constituency.

India has ...