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India expresses concerns over UK’s proposal to impose restrictions on steel imports at WTO meeting
May-22-2026

India has expressed concerns over the United Kingdom’s (UK) proposal to impose restrictions on steel imports in a key meeting of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva. Starting July 1, 2026, the UK government will limit tariff-free steel imports, and this will reduce overall quota volumes by 60 per cent compared to the steel safeguard measure. Any imports above these levels will then face a 50 per cent tariff. The measure will apply to imports of steel products that can also be made in the UK.

India, alongside countries like Brazil, Turkiye, Switzerland and Australia have expressed their concerns about the UK's proposed action.  Japan and Korea, which initiated discussions, have also flagged concerns over the issue.  Earlier, Britain had safeguard measures that also imposed import quotas. The new measures will reduce that quota. On its part, the UK stated that the measures are legitimate industrial protection against global overcapacity and security concerns. The measures are important as, without this, Britain was on track to become the first G7 country not to have primary steelmaking capability. Britain has added that it intends to engage fully with affected countries. 

The issue has become a sticking point in the implementation of the India-UK comprehensive economic and trade agreement (CETA), which was signed on July 24, 2025. India's exports of iron and steel and their products to the UK stood at $893.4 million in 2025-26, which accounts for a significant portion of $13.4 billion of total merchandise exports to the UK. 


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