Mar 30, 2021   SOURCE: BusinessWire

ICT Coalition: India Tariffs Violate WTO Agreements

A coalition of seven trade associations including the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), Coalition of Services Industries (CSI), the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), and US-India Business Council (USIBC) today sent a letter to United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai outlining concerns regarding India’s mounting tariffs on information communications technology (ICT) products and services.

“These most recent tariffs are indicative of a broader effort by the Indian government to pressure companies to localize more of their supply chain in India without regard for the country’s WTO commitments,” the letter says. “We are concerned that, if left unchallenged, this trend will undermine the integrity of tariff bindings made at the WTO by all of its participants as countries seek new tools to force local production of goods, to the detriment of U.S. companies operating in and exporting to India and around the world.”

The coalition urges the administration to make enforcement of India’s WTO commitments a priority in future bilateral engagements and continue to provide support behind the ongoing dispute settlement cases brought by Japan, the EU, and Taiwan at the WTO, including through a renewed assessment of whether the U.S. government should initiate proceedings of its own.

CLICK HERE to read the full coalition letter.

ABOUT TIA

The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) represents more than 400 global companies that enable high-speed communications networks and accelerate next-generation ICT innovation. Through leadership in U.S. and international advocacy, technology programs, standards development, and business performance solutions, TIA and its members are accelerating global connectivity across every industry and market. TIA is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).