India and the United States agreed in February to work on the first phase of a trade deal to be concluded late this year, with a view to reaching two-way trade worth $500 billion by 2030
The US' 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs for countries, including India, creates a critical strategic window for New Delhi to accelerate efforts in attracting electronics manufacturing investments, particularly from companies seeking to diversify their production bases beyond China, a country which now stares at 125 per cent American levy, according to the industry. US President Donald Trump has declared a three-month pause on reciprocal tariffs on non-retaliating countries marking a rather unexpected U-turn after record high levies he imposed led to global stock market meltdown that erased trillions of dollars in investor wealth, and spooked nations and businesses. Trump has, however, made it clear that he would raise tariffs on China, one of America's biggest trading partners, to a staggering 125 per cent after Beijing vowed a fresh round of retaliation. For other countries, the rates will revert to baseline 10 per cent. Pankaj Mohindroo, Chairman of ICEA (India Cellular and ...
India should reconsider negotiating a comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA) with the US as it could pose challenges to domestic sectors like agriculture, automobiles and pharmaceuticals, think tank GTRI said on Thursday. It cautioned that under trade pact with the US, many of Washington's demands such as weakening India's minimum price support system for farmers, allowing genetically modified food imports, lowering agricultural tariffs, changing patent laws to extend drug monopolies, and letting American e-commerce giants sell directly to consumers pose major risks. The risks include harm to farmer incomes, food security, biodiversity, public health, and the survival of small retailers, the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said. "Reducing tariffs on farm goods could affect the livelihoods of hundreds of millions, while slashing duties on cars could undercut a sector that accounts for nearly a third of India's manufacturing output. The collapse of Australia's car industry .
The 90-day deferral of reciprocal tariffs decided by the US has come as a major relief as it provides a crucial window for pushing the talks on the proposed bilateral trade agreement between India and America, exporters said on Thursday. They said that diplomatic engagement and fast-tracking negotiations for the trade pact will help India deal with these tariffs. "It is a good decision by the Trump administration. We have been assured by the commerce ministry that the agreement will be finalised at the earliest," Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) President S C Ralhan said. He added that the move reflects a strategic pause aimed at avoiding immediate economic fallout while allowing space for potential resolutions. "A huge relief to our exporters. The 90-day deferral of the reciprocal tariff provides a critical window for diplomatic engagement and trade negotiations," Ralhan added. Welcoming the USA's decision, Mumbai-based exporter S K Saraf said that Indian industry
US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent emphasised that such a move focuses on countries like China, which have been contributing to imbalances in the global economy
Jeffrey Sachs warns India against US geopolitical strategies amid trade war triggered by Trump tariffs
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar noted that as every country is tariffed, each is fashioning its own strategy to deal with the US
Jamieson Greer says nearly 50 countries, including India, Argentina, Vietnam, and Israel, have shown interest in easing trade barriers as part of the Trump administration's push for reciprocity
United States Trade Representative lists unfair trade practices across several nations, flags India's ethanol import ban among key barriers affecting US exporters
India should accelerate discussions for the proposed bilateral trade agreement with the US as the deal could help secure preferential market access, improve investor protections, and encourage technology partnerships between the two countries, experts said on Monday. They also said that the pact is critical for India to address long-standing non-tariff barriers in sectors like chemicals, telecom equipment, and medical devices, which were explicitly flagged in the US tariff statement. Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) for standards and testing protocols could be a strategic step forward in reducing regulatory friction and improving market access in these sensitive sectors, they added. Even though the new US tariffs might put short-term pressure on India's key export sectors, the broader strategic landscape offers significant long-term advantages, Rudra Kumar Pandey, Partner, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co, said. He said that India can leverage its differential tariff exposure,
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal is likely to hold a meeting with exporters on Wednesday, April 9, to take stock of issues to be faced by Indian traders due to the imposition of an additional 26 per cent reciprocal tariffs by the Trump administration, an industry official said on Sunday. Senior officials of the commerce ministry and representatives of export promotion councils (EPCs) and the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) will attend the deliberations, according to the industry official. Meanwhile, an exporter said that the government should come forward to extend fiscal incentives to all exporters, particularly MSMEs, in this situation, as the US tariffs will have an impact on the country's shipments. The effect of these duties is expected to be reflected starting May as demand will take a hit in the US. "Sweeping increases in duties on all the countries in the world will have an inflationary impact on the US customers. It would hit demand for al
In the days after Trump's tariff announcement that has shaken global markets to their core, India joined nations like Taiwan and Indonesia in ruling out counter tariffs
India and the US are holding intense discussions on a proposed 'fair, balanced and equitable trade deal' bilateral trade agreement
While US President Donald Trump had initially framed tariffs as non-negotiable, he later hinted at possible compromises
The Congress Rajya Sabha MP has sought permission from the Chair to raise this matter for urgent discussion in the House
Both India and the US want to expedite the negotiations for the proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA) as the two countries are looking at promoting two-way commerce, an official statement said on Thursday. Both the countries have decided to hold sector-specific talks from this month to finalise the structure of the agreement. The keenness to expedite the talks came in the backdrop of the USA's decision to impose additional 27 per cent import duty on Indian goods from April 9 this year. "Discussions are ongoing between Indian and US trade teams for the expeditious conclusion of a mutually beneficial, multi-sectoral BTA...We remain in touch with the Trump administration on these issues and expect to take them forward in the coming days," the commerce ministry said. Through the agreement, the two countries are looking to increase market access for their goods, cut tariff and non-tariff barriers and deepen supply chain integration. A team of US officials, headed by Assistant US Tra
India is among countries on which Trump has imposed substantial tariffs, ranging from 46 per cent on Vietnam to 17 per cent on the Philippines, which will kick in from April 9
Industry group urges Indian government to secure bilateral trade agreement with US
Analysts believe that if these policies persist, they could drive significant inflation in the US, weakening demand and increasing recession risks
India assesses impact of new US tariffs as trade talks continue; potential duty cuts on American imports could make high-end electronics, automobiles, and other goods affordable