India stays measured amid Trump’s tariff war, pushes for US trade deal
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. New Delhi: India will refrain from taking retaliatory action against the US’ reciprocal tariffs or making sharp public responses against Washington, keeping trade diplomacy at the centre of its strategy, a senior government official said. As a global tariff war unfolds in response to US President Donald Trump’s additional tariffs on more than 60 nations, India is taking a calm and measured approach, positioning itself as a balanced negotiator, the official said.
“We are focusing on dialogue, not confrontation. India is the only country offered the opportunity to negotiate a bilateral trade agreement (BTA) with the US. That itself is a signal of mutual respect," the official said, who spoke on condition of not being named.
The US is India’s largest trading partner, and one of the few countries with which India had a trade surplus in 2023-24. Mint was the first to report on 3 April that New Delhi would not adopt a tit-for-tat approach and will push for a swift trade pact with the US. India faces an additional 26% average tariff on its exports to the US, which is lower than the levies imposed on several other Asian exporters.
Cambodia faces the highest at 49%, followed by Vietnam (46%), Sri Lanka and Myanmar (44% each), and Thailand (36%). China’s average tariff stands at 34%, while Indonesia faces 32%, Pakistan 29%, and Bangladesh 28%. As per the official, despite the shifting tariff landscape, Indian exports are expected to hold steady at current levels this financial year, with momentum expected to build in the next.
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