Prepare to hit the US with tariffs where it hurts, says expert body advising the government
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. New Delhi: A group of trade experts advising the government on its trade negotiations with the Donald Trump administration has recommended that India prepare to levy tit-for-tat tariffs on American goods that enjoy significant market access in India and that contribute to a sizeable US trade surplus in these product categories.
The strategy is expected to give India negotiating leverage in the ongoing trade talks, at a time the US President has doubled down on imposing retaliatory tariffs from 2 April, which casts a shadow of uncertainty over India’s access to the US market. India should consider such strategic retaliatory tariffs on goods from the US, if the trade tensions were to escalate once again, the group has said.
Products such as nuts, fruits, beverages and spirits, dye extracts for leather, plastic articles, pulp of wood, steel, aluminium and precision instruments hold considerable significance for US trade in India. In addition, mineral fuels, slag, and ash from the US enjoy significant market access in India and contribute to the sizeable US trade surplus in mining products.
Also read | The day Trump’s tariff threats became a reality for America Inc. A strategic tightening of India’s tariff policy in some of these sectors would not only recalibrate the volume of bilateral trade but further enhance India’s trade surplus with the US, said Sachin Chaturvedi, director general at Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS). He heads the group of experts.
The group has submitted its report to the government. Ahead of the Trump administration’s 2 April deadline for reciprocal tariffs to go into effect, India’s commerce minister Piyush Goyal is currently engaged
. Read on livemint.com