India moves WTO- Proposes safeguard duty for losses of USD 1.9bn due to US tariff on Steel & Aluminium

New Delhi [India], May 13 (ANI): India has officially informed the World Trade Organization (WTO) that it plans to impose retaliatory tariffs on imports from the United States. This move comes as a response to the US extending its safeguard duties on steel, aluminium, and related products.
India estimates that these US measures have caused it a loss of around USD 1.91 billion.
In a formal notification to the World Tarde Organisation (WTO's) Council for Trade in Goods, India said it intends to suspend concessions and other trade obligations under Article 8.2 of the Agreement on Safeguards (AoS), in connection with the measures imposed by the United States.
The suspension is proposed under Article 12.5 of the same agreement. If not resolved, the proposed retaliatory tariffs could come into effect after 30 days.
It said "The safeguard measures would affect USD 7.6 billion imports into the United States of the relevant products originating in India, on which the duty collection would be USD 1.91 billion.
Accordingly, India's proposed suspension of concessions would result in an equivalent amount of duty collected from products originating in the United States".
The United States had unilaterally imposed 25 per cent tariff on steel and 10 per cent tariff on aluminium imports through Presidential Proclamations No. 9704 and 9705 on 8 March 2018.
These duties were extended in January 2020 and again recently on 10 February 2025, through Presidential Proclamations No. 10895 and 10896. These new measures will be effective from 12 March 2025.
India argues that although the US has not formally notified these actions as safeguard measures at the WTO, the duties are essentially functioning as such.
India also maintains that these US measures are inconsistent with the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 and the Agreement on Safeguards.
India said the affected imports of steel and aluminium from India to the US were worth USD 7.6 billion, and the additional duties resulted in USD 1.91 billion in losses to Indian exporters.
Since no consultations have taken place under Article 12.3 of the AoS, India is now seeking to suspend equivalent concessions by imposing similar duties on US products.
Much now depends on Washington's response. If the U.S. engages in consultations or withdraws the contested measures, a resolution may be reached. Otherwise, India's tariff response could take effect in early June. (ANI)