Tobacco retailers have appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for representation at the November plenary session of the World Health Organisation’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), according to an Asian News International (ANI) report.

Akhil Bharatiya Paan Vikreta Sangathan (ABPVS) asked for a seat on the Indian delegation to the FCTC’s Congress of the Parties to be held near the Indian capital in November. COP meetings regularly are closed to tobacco interests. ABPVS joins at least one other Indian tobacco group in pressuring the government for representation on its COP delegation.