UK steel safeguards clarified as not targeting India

The United Kingdom has stated that its newly introduced steel safeguard measures are intended solely to protect domestic producers from overseas dumping and are not directed at Indian exporters. Harjinder Kang, the UK Trade Commissioner for South Asia and former chief negotiator of the UK‑India Free Trade Agreement, explained that only a small share – roughly 15‑20% of the steel categories exported from India – falls under the quotas, leaving the majority of Indian steel shipments unaffected. The safeguards are part of quota‑based protections embedded in the India‑UK Free Trade Agreement, which entered into force on 15 July and reduces tariffs on most goods while retaining controls on steel. Both governments discussed the issue during negotiations and reached an “amicable solution,” according to Kang. The clarification aims to allay concerns among Indian steel exporters and reassure that the measures do not constitute an anti‑India policy.