WASHINGTON — The Office of the United States Trade Representative formally placed India on its "Priority Watch List" for 2025, continuing an annual tradition of warning the nation that its adherence to global trade agreements remains unacceptable to American corporations.

The Special 301 report, which also flagged India for identical concerns in 2024, cites "inconsistent progress" regarding New Delhi's reluctance to rewrite its domestic patent laws to guarantee market access for US pharmaceutical and technology firms. India has repeatedly maintained that its intellectual property regime is fully compliant with international TRIPS standards, a defense the US considers secondary to addressing American corporate profitability.

"Our trading partners must address these long-standing concerns and stop stealing the intellectual property of hard-working businesses," a USTR spokesperson said, explaining that the long waiting periods for Indian patent grants were directly obstructing US efforts to bridge a $41.18 billion trade deficit.

Officials confirmed the watch list's publication was deliberately timed to coincide with ongoing negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement, noting that applying unilateral pressure to a partner's sovereign legislative framework is a standard mechanism for reaching their stated goal of $500 billion in two-way commerce by 2030.