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Washington hosts USTR forced labor hearings with India participation
Indian officials are scheduled to testify as bilateral trade negotiations continue.
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Ankita Baidya - Tue, 07, Jul 2026
- 05:14 EDT
- 80
Representative Image / File Photo/iStock photo
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) began public hearings on July 7 as part of its Section 301 investigations into 60 economies, including India, over alleged failures to prohibit imports of goods produced with forced labor, according to a USTR press release issued July 2.
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The hearings, being held at the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington, D.C., will continue through July 9. According to the USTR, the proceedings are open to the public but will not be livestreamed, and external cameras and recording devices are prohibited. A transcript will be published on the agency's website after the hearings conclude.
India is scheduled to appear during Panel 9 on July 8. Representatives include Dr. Brij Mohan of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Shubham Arora of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). The panel also includes representatives from Jordan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, and Pakistan, according to the hearing schedule.
A key development for the proposed India–U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement #BTA begins this week as the U.S. Trade Representative @USTradeRep holds Section 301 public hearings from July 7 to July 9 on proposed trade action involving 60 economies (Including #India) over alleged… pic.twitter.com/jnHi2i0MrB
— IndUS Tech (@TheIndUSTech) July 6, 2026
Earlier the same day, Panel 8 will feature Poornima Shenoy of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Shuchita Sonalika of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
The hearings are taking place as India and the United States continue negotiations on a proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA). A post on X by IndUS Tech described the Section 301 proceedings as running parallel to the ongoing trade talks.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal met U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in New Delhi on June 24 to review progress on the proposed agreement. Goyal said the discussions followed the Feb. 7, 2026, joint statement and focused on advancing a balanced and forward-looking trade partnership.
The negotiations have gained added significance ahead of the July 24 expiration of the United States' temporary 10% tariff on trading partners.
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