Dispute Case at WTO Over Solar Mission Programme

WTO is likely to circulate the WTO panel ruling in the dispute concerning domestic content requirement in the procurement of solar cells and modules in some tenders under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM), by September/October 2015. The United States (US) has claimed that the domestic content requirement clause appears to be inconsistent with GATT 1994 and TRIMs Agreement of WTO. India has defended its claims in WTO as per the provisions contained under Article III: 8(a) and General Exemption clauses of GATT 1994.

 The WTO dispute case of poultry imports is distinct from the present solar dispute. The WTO Rulings in poultry imports case in itself will not have any impact on the solar dispute case.

 The European Union (EU) is a ‘third party’ in this WTO dispute on JNNSM programme. As a third party, the EU has made its submissions before the WTO panel in support of the US and against India’s domestic content requirements.

 This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Ministry of Commerce & Industry Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.