Overview

• The United States has officially informed the WTO that its steel and aluminum tariffs are based on national security considerations and do not qualify as safeguard measures.
• India requested WTO consultations on April 11, arguing the tariffs function as safeguards and that the US failed to notify the WTO as required under the Agreement on Safeguards.
• In its April 17 communication to the WTO, the US rejected India's request, stating there is no basis for consultations under the Safeguards Agreement.
• The tariffs, first imposed in 2018 and revised in February 2025, were enacted under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act to address national security concerns.
• Despite rejecting India's legal claims, the US expressed willingness to engage in further discussions on the matter with India.