Trump's 10% tariff reset may lift India's labor-intensive exports

The reduction of the US reciprocal tariff on India from 25 per cent to 10 per cent will significantly improve competitiveness of domestic labour-intensive sectors in the US such as pharma, electronics, engineering, textiles, and gems and jewellery. In a major setback to US President Donald Trump's pivotal economic agenda for his second term, the US Supreme Court, in a 6-3 verdict written by Chief Justice John Roberts, ruled that the tariffs imposed by the president on nations around the world were illegal and that he had exceeded his authority when he imposed the sweeping levies. Later, through a proclamation, the US announced a temporary import surcharge of 10 per cent ad valorem on articles imported into the US for 150 days from February 24. These sectors at present were facing a reciprocal tariff of 25 per cent in the US market. The US is a major export destination for these sectors and reduction of tariff will help boost exports, Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO)