Days ahead of trade talks, US unhappy with cess on medical devices

US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer is set to visit New Delhi next week

Days before India and the United States start talks on a trade package, American trade officials have expressed unhappiness with New Delhi’s decision to saddle medical device imports with an additional health cess.

While India has said it won’t roll back the tax, other concessions are expected to be fiercely pushed by US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer when he visits New Delhi early next week for talks, sources say. India is still considering allowing a trade margin policy for specific high-value items like coronary stents, they confirmed.

As part of the Budget, Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced a 5