Adjudicatory panel set up at WTO over India’s sugar subsidies

After failing to reach a mutually agreeable position in its discussions with Australia, Brazil and Guatemala at WTO, it has been decided to set up dispute settlement panels to look into India’s sugar subsidies. However, India has rejected requests from the three countries for a single panel to oversee their complaints jointly on grounds that each case was distinct.

The three countries have argued that India’s sugar subsidies (like soft loans and subsidies, to maintain stocks of sugar, and tax rebates) are causing a global glut, depressing prices and are in breach of trade rules.

Plausibly, there would be one panel that would separately hold the proceedings to address the claims raised by each member country.