In charts: How Trump’s reciprocal tariff plans could impact India
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. The global economy has seen more turbulence in recent months than in decades, driven in part by US President Donald Trump’s most potent trade weapon: tariffs. After months of speculation, Washington has finally announced its long-feared tariffs, dealing a fresh blow to India.
A 26% reciprocal tariff on Indian goods, set to take effect on 9 April, dashes hopes of any immediate relief from Trump's trade policies. The measure is part of a broader crackdown that also includes a 10% baseline tariff on all imports. Read this | Trump’s tariff strike: India hit with 26% duty as trade war escalates The move is a response to what the Trump administration calls India’s “uniquely burdensome" non-tariff barriers, which it argues stifle US exports.
The White House claims that eliminating these restrictions could boost US exports to India by $5.3 billion annually. The tariff will remain in place until the US deems trade imbalances and non-reciprocal treatment sufficiently addressed, adding further uncertainty to US-India trade ties. The US has consistently been India’s biggest trade partner, with a 19.1% share in its total exports in the first ten months of FY25.
India, however, relies even more on American goods, with the US making up 6.2% of its total imports in FY24. India has maintained a steady trade surplus with the US, which reached $35.3 billion last fiscal year. India’s exports to the US are heavily concentrated in a few key sectors, making them particularly vulnerable to Trump’s reciprocal tariffs.
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