India has announced plans to impose countervailing duties on U.S. imports in accordance with WTO regulations, responding to America’s steel and aluminum tariffs implemented as protective measures. A WTO notification reveals these U.S. trade restrictions affect approximately 7.6 billion worth of Indian exports, potentially generating about $1.91 billion in tariff revenues.
In April, India initiated WTO consultations with the United States under the safeguard agreement, challenging Washington’s imposition of new tariffs. The U.S. responded by notifying the WTO that its tariffs were implemented based on national security considerations, arguing they should not be classified as traditional safeguard measures.
However, as per reports on March 8, 2018, the US introduced protective tariffs of 25% on select steel products and 10% on aluminum imports, which came into force on March 23, 2018. These trade measures were subsequently renewed in January 2020. But on February 10th, the US revised these measures again, announcing an indefinite extension of the 25% steel tariffs effective March 12, 2025.
India’s WTO submission outlines planned retaliatory trade measures against U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs established by presidential order on February 10, 2025, with an effective date of March 12, 2025.
On May 9, 2025, communication circulated by the WTO at India’s request, the organization acknowledged that while the U.S. hasn’t officially classified these actions as safeguard measures to the WTO, they effectively function as such under global trade rules.