Suresh Prabhu to meet US secretary Wilbur Ross on May 6

NEW DELHI: Commerce and industry minister Suresh Prabhu will hold discussions with US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross in New Delhi on May 6 in a bid to resolve escalating bilateral trade issues. Concessions enjoyed by India in the US under the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) will come to an end this week. India has, however, yet again delayed its decision to impose higher levies on 29 US imports.

Ross, who did not attend the India-US Commercial Dialogue and the CEO Forum in February due to inclement weather and technical problems, will be in India to promote a US outreach programme for businesses, ‘Trade Winds Indo-Pacific Forum and Mission 2019.’

“There will be a meeting between Ross and the minister on May 6 on trade issues,” said an official aware of the details. Ross is the first US official to visit after the Trump administration decided to pull the plug on GSP for India in March.


“Though we do not expect any major conclusion from the meeting, we will touch upon various trade issues and express disappointment for the US announcing the end of GSP even when talks to resolve trade differences were on,” said another official privy to the development.

The duo has been embroiled in a series of trade spats, including the US’ demand for unconditional approval to its dairy exports, lower tariffs by India on ICT products and Harley-Davidson motorcycles and pricing of medical devices. There have been eight rounds of bilateral negotiations on resolving trade issues after talks failed in March last year.

The US has criticised India for a range of “unfair” trade practices and called it “tariff king,” which India has countered by citing the US’ narrowing trade deficit with India.