WTO appellate body ruling in India-US solar panel dispute expected by September

The appellate body of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), which is hearing India's case against a WTO panel's ruling favouring the US in a dispute over India's solar panel import norms, is expected to give its verdict by September, Indian officials said,

The WTO panel had, in February, ruled against India after the US challenged the rules on the origin of solar cells and solar modules used in India's national solar power programme.
 
In April, India appealed against the WTO panel's ruling that the country's power purchase agreements with solar firms are inconsistent with word trade norms.
 
India had pointed to violations of some of the WTO provisions by the US in the latter's own renewable energy programme.

India also decided to file 16 cases against the US at the WTO, as certain US programmes in the renewable energy sector are ''inconsistent'' with the WTO norms.

The appellate body can uphold, modify or reverse legal findings and conclusions of a panel and its reports. If the body's ruling goes against India, the country will have to comply with the order in six-seven months.