India tells WTO it may impose retaliatory tariffs on US, cites increased aluminium, steel levies
India has notified the World Trade Organization that it may impose retaliatory tariffs on the United States after Washington increased the import duties on aluminium and steel to 25%, The Hindu reported on Tuesday.
India’s levies may take effect a month from the date it notified the World Trade Organization, which was May 9.
This came amid India and the US negotiating a bilateral trade deal.
The Donald Trump administration had first imposed higher tariffs on aluminium and steel imports in 2018. This was modified in February to impose duties of 25% on imports of the two metals. The measures took effect in March. Washington also removed country-specific and product-specific exemptions that several countries had managed to negotiate.
Washington claimed that the increased tariffs had been taken in the interest of national security and were not safeguard measures.
New Delhi has said that the actions were safeguard measures.
“The measures have not been notified by the United States to the WTO, but are, in essence, safeguard measures,” The Hindu quoted India as having communicated to the international organisation. “India maintains that the measures taken by the United States are not consistent with the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 and the Agreement on Safeguards.”
India argued that it had the right to impose retaliatory tariffs as the US had not held consultations, as...
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