To India now- where representatives from 52 nations attended the World Trade Organisation meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday. Delegates from China, the United States, the European Union as well as WTO Director General Roberto Azevedo were among those participating in discussions. The meeting was the first time WTO members met since President Donald Trump announced a 25 percent tariff on American imports of steel and 10 percent on aluminum. That issue dominated the meeting's agenda.

The informal meeting of World Trade Organisation members was no laughing matter. While no agenda was set for the meeting- the 52 countries attending the meet got straight down to business- with a majority of the countries raising America's steel and aluminium tariffs.

ROBERTO AZEVÊDO Director General, WTO "We heard today from many many countries- saying we have a concern with this (U.S. import tarrifs), there is a potential for escalation. We have to proceed very carefully and try to work within the framework of WTO."

At the meeting, the US was heard pledging its support to the WTO, but Director General Roberto Azevedo has warned that countries must walk the talk and ensure that they don't renege on their commitment to rule-based multilateral trading system. The message at the Delhi meet was to strengthen the WTO to ensure that all countries can unite to take on protectionism and prevent the issue from escalating into a global trade war.

SURESH PRABHU INDIAN COMMERCE MINISTER "Considering the recent trends that we are witnessing in which countries (USA) are trying to unilaterally take certain actions which in long term will harm everybody and therefore we must ensure that we keep the global trade growing which benefits all the countries."

For Indian steel exporters like Anshul Jain the more pressing concern is that President Trump's tariffs may lead to him losing his most lucrative market. His company- Chanda Steel Works- has been exporting finished steel products to the United States for 20 years now and relies on the American market for 25% of its total sales.

ANSHUL JAIN STEEL EXPORTER "If the government will not raise the issue with the United States, we will lose the business. I don't know what will happen in the future, it will be difficult for us to export to the US market. US is a very potential market in which we can do anything. This (issue) is a big problem for us."

It's not just profit margins of individual businesses like Anshul's that could take a hit. So far, India has been able to meet domestic demand for steel through local production and has not had to worry about competition from cheap overseas suppliers.

NEHA POONIA NEW DELHI "Local companies are now worried that with the US market becoming unprofitable, surplus steel producing nations will shift their focus to the Indian market- putting it at the risk of becoming a dumping ground."

While many in India are urging Prime Minister Modi's government to levy retaliatory tariffs on the United States- experts warn that India must tread carefully.

AJAY SAHAI, DIRECTOR GENERAL FEDERATION OF INDIAN EXPORTERS ORGANISATIONS "We have to protest on this issue with the US but at the same time we have to keep in mind that the US is still our strategic partner and the US is our major trading partner as well."

The Indian government has promised to raise the issue of the steel and aluminium tariffs with the Trump administration both bilaterally and through the WTO. But until that happens, the Indian steel industry is staring at a fork in the road NP, CGTN, New Delhi.