India’s Commerce and Industry Minister to meet USTR next month to sort out tariffs issue

As a development on the tariff issues between the US and India, both the countries will hold high-level bilateral talks between June 10 and 14. The talk is designed to elaborate on and find out a suitable solution for the steel and aluminium tariffs imposed by Trump administration. Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu will meet US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer in the US.  

New Delhi threatened to retaliate with counter duties of 5%-50% on 20 items imported from the US, including almonds and motor cycles. India said that the country will levy duties worth $165.56 million — equivalent to the effects on India’s trade due to the US before June 21 if the US goes ahead with the tariff duties on steel and aluminium.

“India is hopeful that the matter would be settled between the Commerce Minister and the USTR so that both countries don’t end up imposing additional tariffs,” a ministry official said.

India also lodged a complaint at the WTO against the US stating that the additional duties on steel and aluminium announced by it are inconsistent with provisions of the WTO's General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994.

The minister will also meet representatives from a number of US-based think-tanks and business communities in order to make a case for India.