New Delhi, Oct. 16 -- China has filed a formal complaint against India at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), alleging that India's electric vehicle (EV) subsidy programs violate global trade rules.

The move comes as Beijing accuses New Delhi of adopting policies that unfairly favour local manufacturers under the guise of promoting domestic production.

According to China's submission, India's Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for advanced chemistry cell batteries and EV manufacturing discriminates against foreign firms, amounting to prohibited "import-substitution subsidies" under WTO norms.

The formal complaint marks the consultation stage - the first step before a potential full-fledged trade dispute.

Beijing's concerns are r...