India not obliged to accept WTO panel's report on export schemes: Govt

India is involved in 15 disputes at the WTO, mostly against the US: Minister tells Parliament.

India is not obliged to implement recommendations the World Trade Organization's dispute panel has made about the country’s export promotion schemes, the government told Parliament on Wednesday.

The panel, in its report issued to members on October 31, 2019, had ruled that India's export-related schemes (including for special economic zones or SEZ) are in the nature of prohibited subsidies under the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures and are inconsistent with WTO norms. India appealed at the WTO's appellate body after it was given 180 days to withdraw the SEZ scheme.

"Due to non-functioning of appellate body (of the WTO's