It has been a tough week for India internationally. First, news started trickling that many Indian rice exporters were having a difficult time procuring payments from Iran. Banking sanctions imposed on the Middle Eastern nation by the United States mean that payments from Iranian buyers have become highly erratic, causing worry in the Indian export community. Additionally, India also announced that it had begun inquiries into alleged export subsidization by South Korea of a certain type of rubber. The probe aims to check if South Korea’s subsidies are having a ripple effect on India’s domestic rubber industry. The Indian probe into South Korea appeared ironic on 31st October when India lost its export incentive case against the US at the WTO. The US had challenged the validity of India’s key export subsidy scheme, the MEIS, and the WTO ruled that the program violated its norms. Indian officials said they would appeal the ruling. On the other hand, a high-level advisory group constituted by the government on trade and policy released its report, advocating steps to easy entry into the Indian market for foreign investors. The report came even as the government announced that it was mulling removing certain levies and taxes on SEZs to boost exports. Given rising trade tensions, the government needs to maintain its focus on building goodwill to ensure Indian exports stay afloat in dangerous international waters in the coming months.