The Indian government confirmed on Friday that the United States has not imposed country-specific or reciprocal tariffs on India, despite applying additional duties on steel and aluminium imports globally.
In a written response to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada clarified that while these duties represent an increase over previous tariffs, they are not targeted at India. “The impact of these enhanced duties is being closely evaluated, particularly since earlier exemptions granted to certain major exporting nations are no longer applicable,” he stated.
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The announcement follows a February 13, 2025, memorandum from the US government on Reciprocal Trade and Tariffs. The directive instructs the Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative to assess potential harm caused by non-reciprocal trade policies of other nations. “They are to submit a report with detailed proposed remedies, based on which the US could take action under relevant US legislations,” Prasada noted.
Despite these concerns, India and the US remain committed to strengthening trade ties. Under the “Mission 500” initiative, both nations aim to more than double bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030 by addressing tariff and non-tariff barriers, expanding market access, and enhancing supply chain collaboration.
The development comes amid renewed scrutiny of India’s trade policies. Former US President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized India’s tariff structure, labeling it one of the highest in the world. In a recent interview with Breitbart News, Trump reiterated his stance: “I have a very good relationship with India, but the only problem I have is that they are one of the highest tariff-imposing nations in the world. I believe they will probably lower those tariffs substantially, but on April 2, we will be charging them the same tariffs they charge us.”
While India has avoided direct US tariffs for now, ongoing trade discussions will determine the future course of economic relations between the two nations.
