According to the news provided by Titan International to PRNewswire, Titan International, Inc. and United Steelworkers (USW) called for restrictions on downstream products made from Russian petroleum inputs, citing in particular concerns over imports of off-the-road (OTR) tires from India.

Paul Reitz, President and Chief Executive Officer of Titan International, stated, "Imports of Indian OTR tires increased by close to 38% in 2022 compared to 2021. India was not among the nations to ban imports of Russian oil products, including the production of the by-product, carbon black, which is a key ingredient the production of OTR tries. It is vital to our industry that we intensify our efforts to bring light to and close loopholes in the issued sanctions to Russia."

Titan and the USW sent the joint letter to the White House. In a letter addressed to the President, USW and Titan International, Inc. expressed their concerns over imports of OTR tires from India that are affecting the United States' ban on imports of petroleum products from the Russian Federation. The USW and Titan urged the President to take action and impose import restrictions on downstream products made in third countries with Russian petroleum inputs to ensure that the ban on Russian oil exports has its intended effect. They highlighted that India, one of Russia's top export destinations for petroleum products, has ramped up imports of cheap Russian oil, which has artificially lowered the costs of production for Indian competitors and spurred a harmful flood of OTR tire imports.

The USW and Titan believe that such practices harm domestic producers and workers in an essential industry and undermine national security. They respectfully requested that the President's Administration consider imposing import restrictions on downstream products made in third countries with Russian petroleum inputs to strengthen the integrity of existing sanctions on Russia and ensure that the U.S. does not become a target for oil-dependent foreign goods made in countries that refuse to join the United States in banning Russian oil exports.

To read the original letter, proceed to PRNewswire’s website.