Trump's 26% tariffs on India: Pressure on PM Modi & is New Delhi ready for the impact?
The Trump administration imposed a 26% tariff on imports from India, which is slightly higher than the 20% levy for the European Union, the 24% for Japan and the 25% for South Korea. China was hit with one the highest rates for a major US trading partner and now faces a tariff of at least 54% on many goods.
The tariffs are a setback for the Indian government, which had sought to ward off the new levies by rolling out sweeping concessions on issues central to Trump’s agenda. During a visit to Washington by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February, the two nations agreed to work toward a trade pact this year.
ALSO READ: India to face 'discounted' 26% tariff from US; Trump slaps 34% on China
“India, very, very tough. Very, very tough,” Trump said at a news event at the White House on Wednesday to announce the tariffs. “The prime minister just left, and he’s a great friend of mine. But I said, you’re a friend of mine, but you’re not treating us right. They charge us 52%.”
Live Events
The levies are likely to ratchet up pressure on officials in New Delhi to hash out a trade pact with Washington to win a reprieve, as per a Bloomberg report.
Ahead of the move, the Trump administration has been signaling India would be a target of the new duties, given that New Delhi charges some of the highest tariffs of any major economy. Trump has repeatedly criticised India’s high levies, branding the country as the “tariff king.”
ALSO READ: What are Trump's new reciprocal tariffs and how will they impact trade?
Pressure on India
Before the reciprocal announcement, the US tariff rates were among the lowest, with simple average tariffs at 3.3%, compared with India's 17%, the White House said.
Over the past few weeks, India