US import duty hike: India set to break WTO rules, get protectionist tag

Experts say the country will break its commitments under WTO once higher tariffs against US kicks in on August 4

Despite multiple import duty hikes by New Delhi in the first half of 2018 that attracted criticism from the United States and China as being examples of ‘protectionism’, India hasn't broken the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO) yet.

As soon as New Delhi's higher import duties against the US kick in on August 4 – effectively breaching WTO mandated 'bound rates' for the first time – India will enter a long list of nations that have broken their commitments to WTO, Abhijit Das, trade expert and head of the Centre for WTO Studies, said.

The country may officially