India Threatens to Reconsider Whisky Tariff Cuts Over UK Steel Safeguards

India said it could revisit the tariff concessions it offered Britain on products such as Scotch whisky if the United Kingdom does not address New Delhi’s concerns over new steel safeguard measures. The India‑UK free‑trade agreement, signed in May last year, includes a reduction of whisky tariffs from 150% to 75% initially and to 40% over ten years, along with cuts on a range of other goods. Britain has proposed stricter safeguards on steel imports, including tariff‑free quotas and higher duties, and plans carbon‑related border measures from 2027. India, together with Brazil, Turkey, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland and Australia, has raised concerns at the WTO. “So now the ball is in their (UK) court,” an Indian trade official said. British Trade Secretary Peter Kyle is due in India for talks with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, as the pact is expected to boost bilateral trade by £25.5 billion by 2040.