India proposes retaliatory tariffs on select US goods over steel duties: Report

India has informed the World Trade Organisation (WTO) of its proposal to impose retaliatory tariffs on select US-made goods, aiming to counter Washington’s continued levies on Indian steel and aluminium exports, reported news agency Reuters. In a notice dated Monday, India said the move would take the form of suspending concessions and increasing import duties on specific American products. “The proposed suspension of concessions or other obligations takes the form of an increase in tariffs on selected products originating in the United States,” the statement noted. The development comes in response to what India described as “safeguard measures” by the US government—actions that, according to New Delhi, impact roughly $7.6 billion worth of Indian exports to the American market. US President Donald Trump, who reimposed sweeping global tariffs after returning to office this year, has continued the protectionist approach he adopted during his first term in 2018, when similar duties on steel and aluminium were introduced under the guise of national security. India, now the world’s second-largest crude steel producer, has long contested these tariffs. The move to formally escalate the matter at the WTO signals growing trade friction between the two countries. Ironically, the escalation comes just as New Delhi and Washington are reportedly close to finalising a new trade agreement. India is said to have offered a significant concession—cutting its tariff gap by nearly two-thirds—to help clinch the deal. While the proposed duties are still at the WTO notification stage, they highlight India’s strategy of leveraging global trade rules to press for fairer treatment of its exports, particularly amid shifting geopolitical alliances and supply chain realignments.