All six trade disputes stand resolved between India and US

New Delhi: India and the US have informed the WTO that they have mutually resolved all the six trade disputes, in line with the commitment made by the two countries last month. The World Trade Organisation (WTO) issued the first communication on July 17 with regard to one of the six disputes. The remaining five were issued on Tuesday.

With this, all the six trade disputes have been resolved. India would also notify removal of additional customs duties on eight American products like apple soon.

WTO norms permit its members to resolve disputes between them outside its ambit.

In five separate notifications to the WTO, the two countries have asked the Geneva-based body to terminate these disputes.

"The parties confirm their agreement that the panel report...may not be adopted by the DSB (dispute settlement body), as through their mutually agreed solution the dispute has been terminated," one of the communications of the WTO said on Tuesday.

The six disputes include three initiated by India and as many by the US.

These disputes are Indian complaint against the US with regard to the imposition of countervailing duties by the US on certain hot rolled carbon steel flat products from India; on September 9, 2016, India filed a case against the US pertaining to domestic content requirements and subsidies instituted by the governments of the states of Washington, California, Montana, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Michigan, Delaware and Minnesota, in the energy sector.

Another dispute filed by the US against India was related to domestic content requirements under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission for solar cells and solar modules. In 2018, the US filed a case against India's alleged export subsidy measures.

On July 3, 2019, the US filed a dispute against New Delhi on the imposition of additional duties with respect to certain products originating in the US.

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