Trump tariffs on steel, aluminium take effect: Here's how countries reacted

India has downplayed the impact of US President Donald Trump's 25% steel tariffs, noting that its exports to the US are minimal compared to its total production of 145 million tonnes in 2024

US President Donald Trump’s proposed 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports came into effect today. While the move is set to increase the prices of a wide range of consumer and industrial products for the US, Trump has promised that the taxes on these imports will help create factory jobs in the country. Following the announcement, several countries including India have responded to these tariffs.  Here’s what they said:

 

India

While the Indian government has not made any official statement yet, Steel Secretary Sandeep Poundrik at an event commented on the development during which he downplayed the impact of these tariffs on the domestic steel industry. He said, India exports less than 100,000 metric tonnes of steel to the US, a small fraction of its total production, which reached 145 million tonnes in 2024.

 

 

Poundrik at an event in February, said, “The US tariffs won’t have much impact on India’s steel industry as our domestic market is strong, and only a small quantity is exported to the US.” He said, “If out of 145 million tonnes, we are unable to export 95,000 tonnes, it doesn’t really matter.”

 

European Union

The European Union announced retaliatory measures of trade action after Trump's proposed tariff came into effect. According to Associated Press, the retaliatory measures will come into effect on April 1, a day before Trump’s reciprocal tariffs kick in. Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission president in a statement said, “As the US is applying tariffs worth 28 billion dollars, we are responding with countermeasures worth 26 billion euros ($28 billion).”

 

Commenting on which products along with the steel and aluminium will take a hit, she noted textiles, leather goods, home appliances, house tools, plastics, and wood along with agricultural products including poultry, beef, some seafood, nuts, eggs, sugar, and vegetables.

 

European Commission, responsible for managing trade and commercial conflicts on behalf of 27 nations, clarified that it remains open to negotiations.

 

United Kingdom

The UK government termed the US tariffs on steel and aluminium imports as ‘disappointing’; however, it fell short of retaliating, as it seeks a wider economic deal with the latter. Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds in a statement said that he will continue to engage with the US closely to press the case for the UK's business interests. He did, however, mention that all the options will be put on the table and will not ‘hesitate to respond in the national interest’. Its steel industry body, however, called these tariffs ‘a devastating blow’.

 

Australia

Earlier today, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese clarified that they will not retaliate with its tariffs, however, he did say that these tariffs were ‘unjustified’. Albanese’s statement came hours before the 25 per cent tariffs came into effect.

 

According to an NPR report, Albanese’s remarks came after Trump, in February, said that “he was considering a tariff exemption for Australia, a free trade treaty partner that has traded with the United States at a deficit for decades”.