US and India Resolve Last Outstanding WTO Dispute and Strengthen Bilateral Ties

The United States and India jointly announced on Friday the successful resolution of the final unresolved dispute at the World Trade Organization (WTO), pertaining to poultry products.

India has also agreed to reduce tariffs on several American goods, including frozen turkey, frozen duck, fresh and frozen blueberries and cranberries, dried and processed blueberries and cranberries, and fresh and frozen cranberries, as confirmed by the Office of the United States Trade Representative.

In an official statement, US Trade Representative Katherine Tai declared that the US and India have reached an agreement to settle their last outstanding WTO dispute, known as “India — Measures Concerning the Importation of Certain Agricultural Products (DS 430).” These tariff reductions will open up economic prospects for American agricultural producers in a significant market and facilitate the availability of US products in India.

This announcement coincided with US President Joe Biden’s meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, India, ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit.

Following discussions at the G20 Trade and Investment Ministers’ Meeting in August this year, Ambassador Tai engaged in talks with India’s Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal. Both leaders expressed a shared desire for a swift resolution to the WTO issue.

Ambassador Tai expressed, “Resolving this final outstanding WTO dispute represents a noteworthy achievement in the US-India trade relationship. Reducing tariffs on specific U.S. products also enhances critical market access for American agricultural producers. These developments, coupled with Prime Minister Modi’s State Visit in June and President Biden’s recent trip to New Delhi, underscore the strength of our bilateral partnership. I look forward to continuing to collaborate with Minister Goyal to create inclusive economic opportunities for our respective nations.”

It is worth noting that six previous disputes were settled during Prime Minister Modi’s state visit to the United States in June. India additionally agreed to lower tariffs on certain U.S. products, including chickpeas, lentils, almonds, walnuts, apples, boric acid, and diagnostic reagents.

During their bilateral meeting at the residence of the Prime Minister, the two leaders discussed a range of issues, including defense cooperation and technology sharing. President Biden also congratulated India on the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission.

Both leaders called upon their respective governments to continue advancing the India-US Strategic Partnership across various dimensions of their multifaceted global agenda, emphasizing trust and mutual understanding.

After the meeting, they commended the India-US relationship and affirmed that the friendship between their two nations will continue to contribute significantly to global well-being.

Prime Minister Modi conveyed his thoughts on the meeting through a post on ‘X’ (formerly known as Twitter), stating, “Happy to have welcomed @POTUS @JoeBidento 7, Lok Kalyan Marg. Our meeting was very productive. We were able to discuss numerous topics which will further economic and people-to-people linkages between India and USA. The friendship between our nations will continue to play a great role in furthering global good.”

President Biden also expressed his commitment to strengthening the India-US partnership, posting on ‘X,’ “Great seeing you, Mr Prime Minister. Today, and throughout the G20, we’ll affirm that the United States-India partnership is stronger, closer, and more dynamic than any time in history.”