India Raises Concerns Over UK's Steel Measures in WTO
India has voiced worries about the UK’s plan to enforce limitations on steel imports during a significant World Trade Organisation (WTO) meeting, while also maintaining bilateral discussions on the topic as it pertains to implementing the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).
At the WTO's Council for Trade in Goods meeting, the matter of a new tax system for steel imports was addressed, and India presented its reply. Korea and Japan began the conversation regarding the UK's action. China, Brazil, Turkey, and Australia were among those who opposed the initiative.
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Starting July 1, 2026, the UK will impose restrictions on tariff-free steel imports, cutting the total quota under current safeguard measures by 60 percent. Imports exceeding these thresholds will be subjected to a 50 percent tariff.
The regulation will pertain to imports of steel items that can also be produced in the UK.
An official based in Geneva stated that India, Brazil, Turkiye, Switzerland, and Australia have voiced their concerns regarding the UK's suggested measures.
Japan and Korea, the ones who started the talks, have raised worries about the matter.
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Previously, Britain had protective measures that also enforced import limits. The updated regulations will decrease that limit.
The CETA, which was signed in July 2025, received approval from both houses of the UK Parliament in March. In India, the approval of FTAs occurs via an executive process that requires Cabinet consent. The last official step left is to decide on a date mutually agreed upon for the agreement’s Entry into Force (EIF).
CETA will enable 99 percent of Indian exports to access the UK without duties and will encompass nearly 100 percent of the trade in monetary terms. For the UK, India will cut or remove duties on 90 percent of the tariff categories that represent 92 percent of the imports.
In 2025-26, India exported iron and steel along with their products to the UK for USD 893.4 million, representing a notable portion of the USD 13.4 billion in total merchandise exports to the UK.
The concerns were expressed during the WTO’s Council for Trade In Goods session on 20-21 May.
The council manages the execution and functioning of all agreements concerning trade in goods within the WTO framework. It oversees matters including tariffs, import regulations, subsidies, anti-dumping actions, customs valuation, and quality standards via different specialized committees.
The United Kingdom asserted that the actions taken are valid industrial safeguards against worldwide overcapacity and security issues.
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The measures are crucial because, without them, Britain was headed to be the first G7 nation lacking primary steelmaking capacity.
Britain has stated that it plans to collaborate closely with impacted nations. The matter has turned into a contentious point in the execution of the India-UK comprehensive economic and trade agreement (CETA), which was signed on July 24, 2025.