India, US close to resolving sole WTO row

India and the US are trying to engage to end their last pending dispute at the World Trade Organization (WTO) over poultry products after mutually resolving six trade disputes. The two sides m are also exploring participation of their companies in government procurement systems in either countries.

An official said the two countries have resolved six out of seven trade disputes and efforts are now on to resolve the seventh also.

In 2015, India lost a long-pending dispute over poultry imports from the US at the WTO. India had prohibited the import of various agricultural products from the US because of concerns related to Avian Influenza.


As India was not able to implement the decision within the stipulated time frame, the US had demanded compensation. Now both countries are discussing ways to resolve the case mutually.

The issue is likely to come up during commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal’s meeting with US trade representative (USTR) Katherine Tai in New Delhi.

“This one big dispute is pending for long and its settlement will be a huge relief,” said another official.

The six disputes which have been settled include countervailing measures on certain hot-rolled carbon steel flat products from India, certain measures relating to solar cells and modules, measures relating to the renewable energy sector, India’s export-related measures, certain measures on steel and aluminium products, and additional duties on some products from the US.