{"id":8517,"date":"2026-08-04T10:31:23","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T10:31:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=8517"},"modified":"2026-08-04T10:31:23","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T10:31:23","slug":"indias-wto-battles-from-sugar-subsidies-to-pli-schemes-heres-what-new-delhi-is-defending","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=8517","title":{"rendered":"India&#8217;s WTO battles: From sugar subsidies to PLI schemes, here&#8217;s what New Delhi is defending"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-132856922,imgsize-2277250,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/what-new-delhi-is-defending-at-the-wto.jpg\" alt=\"India's WTO battles: From sugar subsidies to PLI schemes, here's what New Delhi is defending\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>India is currently defending nine trade disputes at the World Trade Organization (WTO), with countries including Japan, China, the European Union (EU), Brazil and Australia challenging a range of its trade measures.<!-- --> The government has so far spent about Rs 2.43 crore on empanelled law firms to fight these cases, Parliament was informed on Tuesday.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"3\"\/>In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, minister of state for commerce and industry Jitin Prasada said that the department of commerce is being represented and assisted by the Centre for Trade and Investment Law (CTIL), the Centre for WTO Studies (CWS) and empanelled law firms in these disputes.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"7\"\/>He informed that around Rs 2.43 crore has been incurred towards the services of empanelled law firms in connection with the nine pending cases. Since the proceedings are still underway, any further expenditure will depend on how each dispute progresses.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"9\"\/>&#8220;There are currently nine disputes pending against India under the WTO Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes, commonly referred to as the WTO Dispute Settlement Understanding,&#8221; Prasada said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"12\"\/>According to the minister, the complaints have been filed by Japan (two cases), China (two cases), Brazil, Australia, Guatemala, the European Union (EU) and Chinese Taipei.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"14\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>Steel imports and sugar support among key disputes<br \/><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"16\"\/>One of the pending disputes stems from Japan&#8217;s challenge to India&#8217;s safeguard measures on certain iron and steel products. Filed in May 2019, the case questions whether the measures comply with WTO rules.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"18\"\/>India has maintained that the safeguards were WTO-consistent and remained in force until they expired in the ordinary course. <!-- -->It has appealed the WTO panel&#8217;s report, but the appeal remains pending because the WTO Appellate Body is not functioning.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"22\"\/>Another group of disputes relates to India&#8217;s support measures for the sugar sector. Brazil, Australia and Guatemala have challenged India&#8217;s domestic support for sugarcane producers as well as alleged export subsidies for sugar, arguing that these are inconsistent with the WTO&#8217;s Agreement on Agriculture and the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (ASCM).<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"25\"\/>India has defended its policies before the WTO panel, saying its support measures and export-related schemes are in line with its commitments and rights under the WTO agreements.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"27\"\/>&#8220;These measures have continued for the benefit of sugarcane producers. India has appealed the panel report, and the appeals remain pending,&#8221; Prasada said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"29\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>ICT tariffs challenged by EU, Japan and Chinese Taipei<br \/><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"31\"\/>The European Union, Japan and Chinese Taipei have separately challenged India&#8217;s tariff treatment of certain information and communications technology (ICT) products.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"34\"\/>&#8220;The complainants alleged that India has applied customs duties, in excess of the bound rates recorded in India&#8217;s WTO schedule, thereby according less favourable treatment to these ICT goods in violation of GATT 1994,&#8221; the minister said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"36\"\/>India has defended the tariffs before the WTO panel, arguing that they are consistent with its rights and obligations under global trade rules. The measures remain in force to further their policy objectives.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"39\"\/>Prasada said India has appealed the panel reports in the disputes involving the EU and Japan. In the case involving Chinese Taipei, adoption of the panel report has been mutually deferred to allow negotiations on a mutually agreed solution (MAS).<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"42\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>China challenges PLI schemes and technology measures<br \/><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"44\"\/>China has brought two separate complaints against India.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"46\"\/>The first challenges certain Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes covering advanced chemistry cell battery storage, automobiles and auto components, electric passenger cars and high-efficiency solar photovoltaic modules, along with India&#8217;s tariff measures on certain technology products.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"49\"\/>According to China, these measures are inconsistent with the WTO&#8217;s Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (ASCM), the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (GATT 1994) and the Agreement on Trade-Related Investment Measures (TRIMs Agreement).<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"51\"\/>Prasada said India has defended the measures, maintaining that they are consistent with its rights and obligations under WTO agreements. The measures continue to remain in force and panel proceedings are ongoing.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"53\"\/>China has also filed another dispute over India&#8217;s measures in the solar cell, solar module and information technology sectors. A WTO dispute panel is yet to be constituted in that case.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"55\"\/><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/business\/india-business\/indias-wto-battles-from-sugar-subsidies-to-pli-schemes-heres-what-new-delhi-is-defending\/articleshow\/132855193.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>India is currently defending nine trade disputes at the World Trade Organization (WTO), with countries including Japan, China, the European Union (EU), Brazil and Australia challenging a range of its trade measures. The government has so far spent about Rs 2.43 crore on empanelled law firms to fight these cases, Parliament was informed on Tuesday.In [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8518,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8517","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-31"],"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/what-new-delhi-is-defending-at-the-wto.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/what-new-delhi-is-defending-at-the-wto.jpg","medium_large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/what-new-delhi-is-defending-at-the-wto.jpg","large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/what-new-delhi-is-defending-at-the-wto.jpg","1536x1536":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/what-new-delhi-is-defending-at-the-wto.jpg","2048x2048":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/what-new-delhi-is-defending-at-the-wto.jpg","blogsy-small":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/what-new-delhi-is-defending-at-the-wto.jpg","blogsy-small-tall":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/what-new-delhi-is-defending-at-the-wto.jpg","blogsy-small-square":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/what-new-delhi-is-defending-at-the-wto.jpg","blogsy-small-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/what-new-delhi-is-defending-at-the-wto.jpg","blogsy-medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/what-new-delhi-is-defending-at-the-wto.jpg","blogsy-medium-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/what-new-delhi-is-defending-at-the-wto.jpg","blogsy-large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/what-new-delhi-is-defending-at-the-wto.jpg","blogsy-wide":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/what-new-delhi-is-defending-at-the-wto.jpg"},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"admin","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":"0","magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"India is currently defending nine trade disputes at the World Trade Organization (WTO), with countries including Japan, China, the European Union (EU), Brazil and Australia challenging a range of its trade measures. The government has so far spent about Rs 2.43 crore on empanelled law firms to fight these cases, Parliament was informed on Tuesday.In [&hellip;]","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 \u0b2c\u0b3f\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36"],"magazineBlocksPostViewCount":1,"magazineBlocksPostReadTime":4,"magazine_blocks_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/what-new-delhi-is-defending-at-the-wto.jpg",400,225,false],"medium":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/what-new-delhi-is-defending-at-the-wto.jpg",300,169,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/what-new-delhi-is-defending-at-the-wto.jpg",150,84,false]},"magazine_blocks_author":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/author\/admin"},"magazine_blocks_comment":0,"magazine_blocks_author_image":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g","magazine_blocks_category":"<a href=\"#\" class=\"category-link category-link-31\">\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 \u0b2c\u0b3f\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36<\/a>","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8517","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8517"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8517\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8518"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8517"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8517"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8517"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}