Citing discrimination, India drags US to WTO on steel, aluminium tariffs

India has complained to the World Trade Organization (WTO) against the US’ tariffs on steel and aluminium imports citing inconsistency with global trade norms.

New Delhi listed multiple violations of WTO norms such as discrimination against its imports, introduction of restrictions in form of quotas and using tariffs to get other countries to agree to "voluntary export restraints” as the basis for the complaint.

India said the US duties of 25% and 10% on imports of steel and aluminium products respectively, are inconsistent with provisions of the WTO's General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 and of the Agreement on Safeguards in the request for dispute consultations which was circulated on Wednesday.


Citing security concerns, the Donald Trump administration imposed 25% and 10% of additional import duty on certain steel products and aluminum products respectively from all countries except Canada, Mexico, Australia, Argentina, South Korea, Brazil and the European Union, which took effect from March 23, 2018.

The request for consultations formally initiates a dispute in the WTO. Consultations give the parties an opportunity to discuss the matter and to find a satisfactory solution without proceeding further with litigation. After 60 days, if consultations have failed to resolve the dispute, the complainant may request adjudication by a panel.