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US launches probe into trade practices of India, China, others

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The US has launched investigations into 16 trading partners, including China, Japan, India and the European Union, to examine and address alleged “unfair foreign trade practices”, the Office of the US Trade Representative said in a statement on March 11. Jamieson Greer, the US Trade Representative, announced the initiation of investigations into the acts, policies and practices of various economies under Section 301(b) of the Trade Act of 1974, citing concerns about structural excess capacity and overproduction in manufacturing sectors.

According to the statement, the investigations will determine whether these acts, policies and practices are unreasonable or discriminatory and whether they burden or restrict US commerce.

• Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 is designed to address unfair foreign practices affecting US commerce. It may be used to respond to unjustifiable, unreasonable or discriminatory foreign government practices that burden or restrict US commerce.
• Under Section 302(b) of the Act, the USTR can self-initiate an investigation under Section 301. Such investigations examine whether the acts, policies or practices of a foreign country are unreasonable or discriminatory and whether they burden or restrict US commerce.

India's CPI inflation rose to 3.21% in Feb

India’s consumer price index (CPI) or retail inflation in February 2026 stood at 3.21 per cent, compared to 2.74 per cent in January 2026, according to government data released on Thursday. Corresponding inflation rates for rural and urban are 3.37 per cent and 3.02 per cent, respectively, as per the statement by Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation today.

According to the data, the inflation rate based on All India Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) for the month of February 2026 over February 2025 is 3.47 per cent (provisional). Corresponding inflation rates for rural and urban are 3.46 per cent and 3.48 per cent, respectively. Month over month decrease of more than 10 per cent was seen in the index of tomato, peas and cauliflower in February 2026 with respect to January 2026.

The data showed that the housing inflation rate for the month of February 2026 is 2.12 per cent (provisional) and the corresponding inflation rates for rural and urban are 2.43 per cent and 2.00 per cent, respectively.

Top five states (having more than 50 lakhs population as per Census 2011) with highest inflation in February 2026 are Telangana, Rajasthan, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal, the data added.