Dispute panel against India’s import duties on ICT goods likely on Japan, Taiwan’s request

New Delhi: The World Trade Organization (WTO) is likely to agree to a second request from Japan and Taiwan later this month to establish an adjudication panel over India’s customs duties on imports of certain information and communications technology (ICT) products, including mobile phones, taking the dispute up a notch. The Geneva-based organisation had setup a similar panel last month at the EU’s request.

“The requests of Japan and Taiwan are scheduled for later this month at the Dispute Settlement Body. We can’t block their requests anymore,” said an official.

India has blocked their first request last month but can’t do that again, according to the multilateral trade rules.