International Cooperation

International Cooperation

International Cooperation Division (ICD) facilitates in developing strong linkages and networks with relevant multilateral agencies and international competition jurisdictions/authorities for enabling effective cooperation including capacity building, enforcement cooperation, networking and exposure to the global best practices.

Section 18 of the Competition Act provides that the Commission may for discharging its duties or performing its functions under this Act, enter into any memorandum or arrangement with the prior approval of the Central Government, with any agency of any foreign country. ICD facilitates in entering in MoU with international competition jurisdictions/ authorities.

International Cooperation Division also participates in the negotiations of Competition Chapter under the Free Trade Agreements negotiated by the Government of India.

Memberships of international organisations

(a) International Competition Network (ICN)

The International Competition Network (ICN) is a virtual international organisation and its member represents competition authorities across the globe. The work of ICN takes place in project-oriented Working Groups, where members work together, largely through teleconferences, teleseminars, webinars, workshops etc. ICN platform allows for a dynamic dialogue that serves to build consensus and convergence towards sound competition policy principles across the global antitrust community. ICN holds workshops and an Annual Conference every year, which is hosted by one of its member agencies. CCI is a member and has been an official invitee to the conferences and workshops organised by the ICN.

(b) BRICS Competition Authorities


BRICS is an association of five major emerging economies, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. A similar cooperation exists between the BRICS Competition Authorities. A MoU between the competition authorities of BRICS was signed on May 19, 2016 during the International Legal Forum held in St. Petersburg, Russia.

(c) Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

The Commission has an observer status with the Competition Committee of OECD. The Commission and its officers regularly participate in the meetings of the OECD Competition Committee and the OECD Global Competition Forum to gain exposure to the global best practices in the field of competition law and policy. CCI has been making regular written contributions for the agenda that is deliberated at various roundtables during the conferences/meetings of OECD. In the year 2020-21, CCI submitted three written contributions on “Abuse of Dominance in Digital Markets, Using Market Studies to Tackle Emerging Competition Issues and Economic Analysis in Merger Investigations”. In addition, CCI submitted replies to the questionnaire on OECD Competition Division Survey on basic statistics for the year 2019. A written contribution on Digital Markets and Competition Concerns: An Indian Perspective was submitted to OECD-GVH Regional Centre, Budapest, for its newsletter