On June 22, 2023, shortly before the start of President Biden’s state dinner at the White House in honor of Indian Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Washington, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai announced an agreement to resolve certain trade disputes between the two countries. The United States and India agreed to terminate six outstanding disputes the countries filed with the World Trade Organization (WTO) – three by the United States and three by India – and India agreed to remove certain existing retaliatory tariffs. The WTO disputes to be terminated include:
- United States – Countervailing Measures on Certain Hot-Rolled Carbon Steel Flat Products from India (DS436);
- India – Certain Measures Relating to Solar Cells and Solar Modules (DS456);
- United States – Certain Measures Relating to the Renewable Energy Sector (DS510);
- United States – Certain Measures on Steel and Aluminium Products (DS547); and
- India – Additional Duties on Certain Products from the United States (DS585).
While the United States made no additional concessions, India also agreed to remove retaliatory tariffs that it previously imposed on chickpeas, lentils, almonds, walnuts, apples, boric acid, and diagnostic reagents in response to former President Trump’s Section 232 duties on steel and aluminum.
In a release announcing the agreement, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative stated that yesterday’s resolution “maintains the integrity of the U.S. Section 232 measures” and will “restore and expand market opportunities for U.S. agricultural producers and manufacturers.”