India and the US Thursday informed the World Trade Organization (WTO) that they have reached a mutually agreed solution on the outstanding dispute on poultry imports from Washington, thereby resolving all of their seven disputes at the global trade watchdog.
In 2015, India lost a long-pending dispute over poultry imports from the US at the WTO. India had prohibited the import of various agricultural products from the US because of concerns related to Avian Influenza.
New Delhi lost the case at the WTO at both the panel level and at the appellate level and though it lifted the ban, Washington remained unconvinced about the mechanism for poultry shipments and import duties and did not withdraw the case at the WTO.
As India was not able to implement the decision within the stipulated time frame, the US had demanded compensation. The two countries were discussing ways to resolve the case mutually.
Last year, the two sides settled six disputes- countervailing measures on certain hot-rolled carbon steel flat products from India, certain measures relating to solar cells and modules, measures relating to the renewable energy sector, India’s export-related measures, certain measures on steel and aluminium products, and additional duties on some products from the US.
After Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden’s meeting last year, India also agreed to reduce tariffs on certain American products, including frozen turkey, frozen duck, fresh blueberries and cranberries, frozen blueberries and cranberries, dried blueberries and cranberries, and processed blueberries and cranberries.