On Wednesday, Indian representatives appeared before the US Trade Representative (USTR) in Washington to argue that the country already meets US labour goals. The delegation, comprising members from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), presented a robust defence of India’s legal, regulatory, and corporate safeguards against forced labour.
India’s framework, they said, combines constitutional protections, labour legislation, regulatory oversight, and private-sector compliance with internationally recognised standards. Article 23 of the Constitution prohibits forced and bonded labour, and this is reinforced by the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, modern labour codes, and India’s ratification of the International Labour Organization’s core conventions on forced labour.
Industry representatives highlighted India’s growing corporate governance framework, with the Securities and Exchange Board of India requiring top listed companies to file Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reports covering human rights, grievance mechanisms, and forced labour complaints. They also pointed to the BRSR Lite framework for small and medium enterprises, and the voluntary adoption of codes of conduct, supplier compliance systems, and ESG frameworks that mirror international standards.
The Indian delegation argued that the proposed 12.5 per cent tariff would not strengthen labour protections, as these are already embedded in India’s legal and commercial systems. Instead, they urged the USTR to build on existing cooperation and dialogue to address any concerns. With Indian exporters already operating within compliance ecosystems established by American buyers and multinational corporations, the delegation maintained that India’s labour record is robust and meets US goals.
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📰 Source: Mangalorean News