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By Shruti Srivastava
India has sought consultations with the US at the World Trade Organization over tariffs imposed by the White House on some quartz products, adding another point of friction between the two countries as they remain without a trade deal.
New Delhi said it has a “substantial interest” in Washington’s new safeguard measures on quartz surface products and proposed holding consultations virtually, according to an Aug. 14 WTO notification.
The US began collecting tariffs Saturday on some imported quartz slabs used for countertops, backsplashes and bathroom tiles. The levies range from 19% to 50% over four years, depending on when the imports enter the US and whether they exceed predetermined thresholds. It’s the latest move by President Donald Trump to use trade levers to boost US manufacturing jobs.
Under WTO rules, the US has to enter into consultation within 30 days of receiving the request. If the dispute isn’t resolved within 60 days, India can request the establishment of a panel.
The latest development comes as the two sides continue to negotiate the first tranche of a trade deal. While both have expressed optimism that an agreement is close, it has yet to materialize.
India has taken a tougher stance toward the Trump tariff regime at the WTO in the past as well. Last year, it challenged Washington’s tariffs on products including aluminum and automobiles, arguing that the measures would hurt Indian exporters.
The quartz tariffs followed a finding by the US International Trade Commission that increased imports were a substantial cause of serious injury to the domestic industry. Trump signed a proclamation imposing the measure last month. India, Vietnam, Spain and Thailand were major exporters during the investigation period in the findings.
Ajay Srivastava, founder of the Delhi-based think tank Global Trade Research Initiative, said the safeguard creates a “major new market-access barrier” for India’s export-oriented quartz industry.
“With no guaranteed quota and more than 70% of Indian exports concentrated in the US market, the commercial impact could be disproportionate,” he said.
The US administration is also probing nations including India under Section 301 over alleged excess capacity, while it has already imposed a 10% tariff on Indian goods following a similar probe into alleged forced labor.
India and the US announced a trade deal framework in February that would cut duties on Indian goods. Days later, however, the Supreme Court struck down Trump’s sweeping global tariff regime, creating fresh uncertainty over when the pact would take effect.
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