India has filed a formal dispute with the World Trade Organization (WTO) over US tariffs on steel and aluminium – a surprise move that analysts say signals a calculated pushback against unilateral trade measures, even as New Delhi appears eager to strike a broader deal with Washington.
The decision, lodged just days before Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal travels to the United States for high-level negotiations, came as India was reportedly preparing to narrow its tariff gap with the US in an effort to accelerate negotiations. According to local media, Delhi had offered to reduce the average tariff difference from 13 per cent to less than 4 per cent – a gesture seen as a bid to break the stalemate in bilateral talks.
Observers said the WTO complaint underscores India’s desire to defend its trade interests through multilateral mechanisms while avoiding a direct tit-for-tat escalation.
“We are not looking for a bilateral escalation of trade tariffs, but we are looking after our own interests”, said Vivek Mishra, deputy director of the Strategic Studies Programme at the Observer Research Foundation.
Earlier this year, the US imposed a 25 per cent duty on all steel and aluminium imports as part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to reshape trade ties with the rest of the world.
