Section 301 Investigation Current Affairs for UPSC
A complete UPSC revision trail for Section 301 Investigation: 2 published analyses, their syllabus connections and closely related themes.
Where this topic fits in the UPSC syllabus
Complete coverage and analysis
Newest first. Open each article for concepts, evidence, Mains questions and related reading.
India’s Forced-Labour Import Ban Explained: U.S. Tariffs and Ethical Supply Chains
India has amended the Foreign Trade Policy 2023 through DGFT Notification No. 23/2026-27 to prohibit imports produced wholly or partly through forced labour. The amendment inserts Paragraph 2.20B, establishes an enquiry mechanism and adopts the International Labour Organization’s definition of forced labour. The decision comes while the United States Trade Representative is considering a 12.5% additional tariff on Indian goods under its Section 301 investigation.
India-US Trade Deal Explained: USTR Visit, Section 301 Tariffs and the Mission 500 BTA
The United States Trade Representative (USTR), Jamieson Greer, is set to visit New Delhi on June 23-24, 2026, to give the "final touches" to the framework of the much-awaited India-US trade deal and to push the broader Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA). It is the first visit by a US trade chief since negotiations began in early 2025 under the Mission 500 target. The talks come amid a lingering US Section 301 investigation into India's "industrial overcapacity" and a separate forced-labour probe that could trigger fresh tariffs. This article explains the trade deal, the tariff timeline, the working of Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974, the BTA roadmap, the key sticking points such as farm market access, and what the deal means for India.
Use this as a revision trail
- Start with the newest analysis to understand the present trigger.
- Read older coverage to track how the issue, policy and arguments evolved.
- Open the syllabus links above and turn recurring evidence into Mains notes.