Bilateral: US, India close last WTO dispute

Supply chains, green energy top Biden-Modi talks

- NIVEDITA MUKHERJEE

In a major breakthrough for the India-US trade relationship which has long term implications for carrying forward the work of transforming the India-US strategic partnership, the two strategic partners have agreed to resolve their seventh and last outstanding dispute at the World Trade Organization on Measures Concerning the Importation of Certain Agricultural Products. The final outstanding clash involved poultry, and in particular India’s import restrictions on certain agricultural products from the US over avian influenza concerns.

The announcement on the resolution of the WTO issue which came as the US President Joe Biden met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday for the G20 Leaders’ Summit, is an step ahead in the US-India trade relationship along with India reducing tariffs on certain US products. According to the US Trade Representative Katherine Tai, as part of the agreement, India also agreed to reduce tariffs on frozen turkey, frozen duck, fresh blueberries and cranberries, frozen blueberries and cranberries, dried blueberries and cranberries, and processed blueberries and cranberries.