India proposes additional tariffs of $87 m on US goods at WTO in response to copper ‘safeguard’ duties

US adopted this measure in the form of a 50 per cent tariff on all imports of copper products. 
| Photo Credit:
KHAM

India has proposed higher tariffs on US goods equivalent to $87.82 million at the WTO in response to the “safeguard measures” on Indian copper exports applied by the US. But Washington has dismissed the suggestion on the ground that the 50 per cent duties applied by it on copper imports were not safeguard measures but were for national security.

“The safeguard measures would affect $182.54 million imports into the US of the relevant products originating in India, on which the duty collection would be $87.82 million. Accordingly, India’s proposed suspension of concessions would result in an equivalent amount of duty collected from products originating in the US,” India noted in its communication to the Committee on Safeguards at the WTO on October 30.

US’ response

In response, the US stated that the premise for India’s proposed suspension of concessions or other obligations is that the tariffs are safeguard measures while these have been imposed under Section 232, which is a national security statute. 

“The President imposed the tariffs on copper products pursuant to Section 232, under which the President determined that tariffs are necessary to adjust imports of these articles that threaten to impair the national security of the United States…Accordingly, there is no basis for India’s proposal to suspend concessions or other obligations under Article 8.2 of the Agreement on Safeguards,” the US stated in its submission to the WTO on November 6.

“The safeguard measures were imposed by the US on imports of copper products on July 30, 2025… US adopted this measure in the form of a 50 per cent tariff on all imports of copper products. The measure applies from August 1, 2025, and for an unlimited duration,” India had stated in its submission.

Tariff counter

The proposed suspension of concessions or other obligations would take the form of an increase in tariffs on selected products originating in the US, India submitted. “Without prejudice to the effective exercise of its right to suspend substantially equivalent obligations referred to in Article 8.2, AoS, India reserves its right to suspend concessions or other obligations after the expiration of thirty days from the date of this notification,” it stated.

India has also challenged at the WTO similar duties imposed by the US on steel and auto.

Published on November 7, 2025