Trump's MASALA playbook: India faces tough choices in trade deals

Responding to the blowback, the White House softened its stance on April 9, imposing a 90-day pause and a uniform 10 per cent tariff on most imports, excluding China

Over the past few days, India’s government and industry watched anxiously as the July 9 deadline for tariff relief from the United States (US) approached. Many expected a last-minute India–US trade deal, but none was announced. Instead, Washington extended the reprieve to July 31 — buying time but increasing pressure on countries to sign deals on US terms.

 

What the US is offering are not normal trade deals but Masala deals — Mutually Agreed Settlements Achieved through Leveraged Arm-twisting. These one-sided agreements offer tariff relief only if countries agree to guaranteed US exports and politically useful wins for President Donald