New Delhi: India if imposes retaliatory tariff against the United States’ planned withdrawal of some trade privileges will be against the WTO rules, the US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said. The comments, made to broadcaster CNBC-TV18 during a trip to India’s capital, come as trade ties between the United States and China worsen. The United States is India’s second-biggest trade partner after China. The US wants India to eliminate trade barriers for American companies and remove restrictions with regard to data localisation to cut the cost of doing business.
“Our goal is to eliminate barriers to the US companies operating here including data localisation restrictions that actually weaken data security and increase the cost of doing business,” he said here. Ross was speaking at the Trade Winds Forum and Trade Mission. He is accompanying a delegation of over 100 American businesses. He also alleged that India imposes very high import duties on goods like automobiles, motorcycles, agri products and alcoholic beverages. “currently US businesses face significant market access barriers in India. These include both tariff and non-tariff barriers as well as multiple practices and regulations to the disadvantage of foreign companies.
