US flags India's burdensome import requirements as trade barrier ahead of Trump's tariffs

The United States has raised concerns over India’s increasing and burdensome import quality requirements, highlighting them as significant barriers to trade. This comes in a report released just before the implementation of U.S. reciprocal tariffs on India.

The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) released a comprehensive report on Monday, listing foreign policies and regulations that it considers trade barriers. Among them, India’s customs barriers, import restrictions, licensing requirements, and high tariffs were singled out.

Despite President Donald Trump’s efforts to reshape the global trade system in favor of the U.S., India has made efforts to lower tariffs in hopes of improving relations. Trump has often criticized India, referring to it as a "tariff king" and a "tariff abuser." However, both countries are in talks to negotiate an early trade deal. Last month, India indicated its willingness to reduce tariffs on over half of U.S. imports worth $23 billion, marking the most substantial tariff cut in years.

Nevertheless, the U.S. remains concerned about certain import requirements in India that are not in line with international standards. These requirements are perceived as burdensome and lacking clear timelines, according to the latest USTR report. It remains unclear whether Trump’s tariff announcement on April 2 will take the findings of the USTR report into account.

India’s non-tariff barriers have also been a point of contention between the two nations. Since 2019, India has made Bureau of India Standards (BIS) certification mandatory for various sectors, including chemicals, medical devices, food, textiles, electronics, and batteries. According to the USTR, India’s BIS has issued over 700 quality control orders across 100 sectors, with plans to introduce 125 additional orders in industries such as chemicals, textiles, steel, aluminum, and electrical equipment.

This article was reported by journalist Angelia.