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Trump Announces 26% Reciprocal Tariff Discount on India

Donald Trump Announces 26% "Discounted Reciprocal Tariff" On IndiaTrump Tariff Announcement: The US President also announced a 20 per cent levy on imports from the European Union and 10 per cent from the UK - two of the main trade partners and allies of the United States.Washington:US President Donald Trump has announced significant reciprocal tariffs on India and China, but said he is being kind on them by charging roughly "half of what they charge us". Calling these as "discounted reciprocal tariffs", President Trump said the US will charge an import duty of 26 per cent on India and 34 per cent on China.Speaking about India, President Trump described tariffs by New Delhi as "very very tough". He went on to say that "Their Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) just left (US recently)...he is a great friend of mine, but I said to him that 'you're a friend of mine, but you've not been treating us right'. India charges us 52 per cent, so we will charge them half of that - 26 per cent."The President also announced a 20 per cent levy on imports from the European Union and 10 per cent from the UK - two of the main trade partners and allies of the United States. On Japan too, he levied a 24 per cent tariff.These tariffs, the White House said, come over and above a 10 per cent base import duty on all products imported into the United States. President Trump, however, did not explain how these tariffs would be levied in an industry-wise break-up.The announcement was made to loud cheers at the White House Rose Garden, as Donald Trump said, "For far too long, other countries have looted and plundered us, while taking advantage of our policies. But no longer. April 2nd will forever be known as Liberation Day - when America reclaimed its industries. We will now impose reciprocal tariffs on countries that tariff us - Reciprocal means we do to them, what they do to us, as simple as that.""By doing this we will reclaim our jobs, we will reclaim our industry, we will reclaim our small and medium scale businesses...and we will make America wealthy again. Jobs will come roaring into America now," he added.The White House told reporters shortly after the "Liberation Day" tariff announcement that due to a "national emergency" which has stemmed from security concerns due to persistent trade deficits, the US is imposing a "baseline" 10 per cent tariff that would start at 12:01am local time (9:30 am IST) on April 5, while the higher country-specific tariffs would begin from 12:01 am local time (9:30 am IST) on April 9.read more :-Indian textile exporters get a boost from Trump's tariffs

Indian textile exporters get a boost from Trump's tariffs

Trump's tariffs will give Indian textile exporters an edge over competitorsPresident Donald Trump's decision to impose tariffs on all imports into the United States (US) will benefit India's textile industry, as its competitors such as Vietnam, Bangladesh and China will face higher tariffs, experts say.If the trade talks result in zero duty on cotton imports, it could be even more beneficial. A key factor for Indian textile exports will be buyer sentiments in the US. "In the past, India, Bangladesh and Vietnam faced similar tariff structures for cotton apparel exports. However, with the recent changes, India now holds a tariff advantage over these competing countries in comparative terms, which could increase its competitiveness in the US market for apparel exports," said Prabhu Dhamodharan, convener of the Coimbatore-based Indian Texpreneurs Federation.As per Trump's announcement, Vietnam's textile exports will be subject to a 46 per cent tariff, Bangladesh 37 per cent and China 54 per cent.According to US data on textile shipments and bill of lading data for 2024, China's share in its textile imports was about 30 percent, or $36 billion. Vietnam was second with textile imports of $15.5 billion (13 percent share), and India was at $9.7 billion (8 percent share). Bangladesh used to have a large share in US textile imports, but its share fell by 6 percent to $7.49 billion in 2024 due to political turmoil. Total textile imports to the US in 2024 were $107.72 billion. Imports of clothing, which is the bulk of textile imports to the US, increased by 2 percent from $77 billion in 2023 to $79 billion in 2024."If India reduces the import duty on cotton from 11 per cent to 0 per cent, it will benefit both countries. Now the ball is in India's court," said K Venkatachalam, chief advisor, Tamil Nadu Spinning Mills Association.India's Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) has already approached the textiles ministry seeking a 'zero for zero' duty policy on textiles and apparel. It believes that the government should reduce the duty on textile products to zero per cent, which will prompt the US to apply the same duty rate on Indian exports."India is well positioned to increase its market share in the US because of this tariff hike. The ongoing trade talks can further strengthen India's position - especially if India offers zero-duty import of cotton in exchange for sector-specific benefits in apparel exports. This move could prove to be a game changer for the industry," Dhamodharan said.Another advantage for India is that the textile sector contributes only 2 per cent to its GDP, compared to 11 per cent and 15 per cent for competitors Bangladesh and Vietnam."It looks negative for the whole world, and short-term buying will slow down as they will eat up their pipeline inventory in the hope of relief as countries renegotiate tariffs with the US. However, if all this continues, the US will have to buy apparel, and compared to all major global textile suppliers (except the EU), we will be cheaper, and hence India will be the preferred destination for textile and apparel sourcing," said Sanjay Kumar Jain, managing director of textile producer TT Ltd. According to an industry expert, companies such as Trident, Welspun India, Arvind, KPR Mill, Vardhman, Page Industries, Raymond and Alok Industries will benefit as their revenue share from the US market is between 20 per cent and 60 per cent.read more :-Live Updates: Donald Trump's Latest Tariff Announcement

Live Updates: Donald Trump's Latest Tariff Announcement

Donald Trump Tariff Announcement Live Updates  Mixed bag: Govt analysing impact of 26% Trump tariff on India. Indian-American lawmakers criticise Trump's reciprocal tariffs, call them 'reckless'Indian-American members of the US Congress and the diaspora community criticised the reciprocal tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, calling them "reckless and self-destructive", urging leaders in both countries to engage in dialogue to address these challenges.On Wednesday, Trump imposed a 26 per cent "discounted reciprocal tariff" on India. While making the announcement, he said "India charges us 52 per cent so we will charge them half of that - 26 per cent."President Trump, in a historic measure to counter higher duties on American products imposed globally, announced reciprocal tariffs on about 60 countries.The lawmakers also said that Trump's tariffs will likely make Indian goods less competitive.Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi said Trump's blanket tariffs are a tax on working families so that he can cut taxes for the wealthiest Americans."These latest so-called 'Liberation Day' tariffs are reckless and self-destructive, inflicting financial pain on Illinois at a time when people are already struggling to keep their small businesses afloat and put food on the table."Krishnamoorthi, a Democratic lawmaker from Illinois, said the tariffs isolate the United States on the global stage, alienate America's allies, and empower its adversaries – all while forcing America's seniors and working families to bear the brunt of higher prices.Urging Americans to call on Trump to end his "disastrous" tariff policies before he sends the country into a recession, Krishnamoorthi said the tariffs do nothing to strengthen the American economy or national security.Congressman Ro Khanna said in a video posted on his social media handle that the tariffs announcement "isn't an April Fool's joke."Trump is literally trying to destroy our economy with his Liberation Day tariffs slapped overnight, no strategy, no consultation, no congressional input."What does this mean? Prices are going to go up. Prices for cars are going up. Prices for groceries are going up. Prices for home repairs and home building are going up, and there's total uncertainty," Khanna said.He added that businesses don't know whether to invest, the stock market is down and "people are saying we could have a recession. We could have stagflation, meaning slow growth and higher inflation, all because of Trump's incoherent, incompetent economic policy."Indian-American Congressman Dr Ami Bera said in a post on X "Let me be clear: these tariffs will not make America wealthy again. These costs will be passed onto YOU- the American consumer. This is not a tax cut. This is a tax hike."Former advisor to President Joe Biden and Co-Chair for Economic Subcommittee for Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Commission Ajay Bhutoria told PTI that Trump's 'Liberation Day' initiative imposes a 26% reciprocal tariff on India's exports to the United States, alongside new tariffs on imports from China, Mexico, Canada, and Japan, significantly impacting both nations and beyond."This sweeping policy will likely make Indian goods-such as textiles, and pharmaceuticals-less competitive, while tariffs on other major trading partners will drive up the cost of automobiles, groceries, medical supplies, and countless other products, hitting American consumers hard with an estimated additional $2,500 to $15,000 in annual expenses."Bhutoria said India's key industries face declining export volumes and financial strain, threatening millions of livelihoods and potentially weakening the strong US-India economic partnership, while American households grapple with rising prices for everyday essentials."This decision injects market uncertainty and risks disrupting global supply chains, possibly pushing Japan, South Korea, India and others to diversify markets or pursue countermeasures."He urged leaders in both countries to engage in dialogue to address these challenges, "minimising the burden on American consumers and Indian producers alike, and preserving the collaboration that has long driven innovation and prosperity between our nations."Asia Society Policy Institute Vice President Wendy Cutler said the reciprocal tariff rates will come as a "shock to our trading partners" and will cause harm to the US economy with higher prices, slower economic growth, and slowed down business investment."Our close partners appear to be treated similarly to our rivals, with China's reciprocal tariff rate just a tad higher than Taiwan. This is difficult to understand given Taiwan's open economy and extensive manufacturing FDI projects in the United States," she said.Cutler added that America's Asian FTA partners were not spared with Korea's rate at 25 percent at the high end of the group. Asian countries in particular have been hard hit causing them shar.read more :-Rupee opened 24 paise lower at 85.75

Govt Targets High-Tech Growth for Textile 2030: MoS Margherita

Government targets high-tech, high-growth products to achieve textile 2030 vision: Textile MoS Pabitra MargheritaThe government is focusing on high tech and high growth product segment to achieve Textile 2030 vision, Pabitra Margherita the Minister of State (MoS) for Textile said in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha. While replying to the questions in the lower house, MoS said, the government is leveraging large scale plug and play infrastructure, keeping sustainability at the core, while ensuring large-scale livelihood opportunities.The government's initiatives are providing impetus to traditional sectors including handloom and handicrafts and becoming Atma-nirbhar in raw material value chain by implementing various schemes/initiatives across the country, he added.The major schemes/initiatives include PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks Scheme which seeks to create a modern, integrated , world class textile infrastructure; Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme focusing on Man Made Fibre (MMF) Fabric.Ministry of Textiles is also implementing National Handicrafts Development Programme and Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme for promotion of handicraft artisans. Under these schemes, support is provided for marketing, skill development, cluster development, direct benefit to artisans, infrastructure and technology support etc.The textile industry is one of the largest sources of employment generation in the country, employing over 45 million people directly. A total of 35,874 USD million exports of Textiles & Apparel including Handicrafts were reported during 2023-24.A successful Global Mega Textile Event BHARAT TEX 2025 was organized in February, 2025 by Textile Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) and supported by the Ministry of Textiles to showcase, India's prowess as a premier textile manufacturing hub, encompassing the entire value chain from raw materials to finished products. The event highlighted diversity and richness of Indian textiles, while emphasising the industry's manufacturing strength, global competitiveness as well as its commitment to sustainability and circularity.read more :-Indian Rupee higher 17 Paisa, Ends at 85.51 per Dollar

Punjab Advances Paddy Sowing Date

Punjab extended the date for sowing paddyRecently, Punjab’s Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced change in the agricultural calendar. The state government has decided to advance the paddy sowing date to June 1. This decision aims to help farmers avoid issues related to high moisture content in their crops during the harvest season.Reasons for Advancing Sowing DateThe primary reason for this change is to mitigate complications that arise during the paddy procurement process. High moisture levels in harvested paddy can lead to delays in procurement and reduced payments for farmers. By starting sowing earlier, the government hopes to ensure that crops are harvested in a more favourable climate, reducing moisture levels at the time of sale.Zone-Wise Cultivation StrategyThe Punjab government plans to implement zone-wise cultivation. The state will be divided into four zones for paddy transplantation. This strategy is designed to optimise crop management and address regional agricultural challenges. Regions facing specific issues, such as sub-surface waterlogging, will have tailored cultivation schedules.Historical ContextHistorically, paddy transplantation in Punjab began after June 10. In 2009, legislation aimed at conserving groundwater mandated this delay. Before this, farmers often transplanted in May. The new policy marks a return to earlier practices while considering contemporary agricultural challenges.Impact of Weather ConditionsIn the previous year, heavy rainfall in September led to increased moisture levels in paddy, complicating the procurement process. Farmers reported losses when moisture content exceeded acceptable limits. The average ideal moisture level for harvested paddy is around 21-22%, but it must drop to 17% by the time it reaches mandis. Delays in procurement resulted in overcrowded markets and financial losses.Farmers’ Reactions and ExpectationsFarmers have largely welcomed the announcement, viewing it as a response to their demands for better procurement systems. They believe that advancing the sowing date will allow for a smoother transition between paddy harvesting and wheat sowing. This change could potentially lead to improved moisture levels and timely stubble management.Concerns and ChallengesDespite the positive reception, challenges remain. Farmers expressed concerns over a lack of guidance on suitable seed varieties for the new schedule. Last year, the quick-growing PR 126 variety led to market gluts and increased processing costs. Additionally, there has been insufficient communication with rice millers regarding the new plans.read more :-Rupee opened 22 paise lower at 85.68

Centre's Cotton Procurement Surpasses 99.4 Lakh Bales

Centre's cotton procurement from farmers exceeds 99.4 lakh bales this seasonThe Centre has procured 99.41 lakh bales of cotton at minimum support price (MSP) directly from farmers till March 25 this year, out of a total arrival of 260.11 lakh bales in the market, Parliament was told on Tuesday.Similarly, the government spent Rs 11,712 crore under MSP operations to procure cotton from farmers during the cotton season 2023-24. Minister of State for Textiles Pabitra Margherita told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply that the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) supported farmers and procured 32.84 lakh bales under MSP operations, benefiting about 7.25 lakh cotton farmers across all cotton producing states.The government provides MSP to ensure remunerative prices to cotton farmers and protects them from distress selling in any event of prices of fair average quality (FAQ) cotton falling below the MSP. The Minister said that Government procurement can prevent prices from falling below the MSP level.Further, for global branding of Indian textiles, the Government has registered Kasturi Cotton as the Brand Trademark of India, to give a unique identity to premium quality Indian cotton, the Minister said.Support to cotton farmers plays a vital role in promoting the growth of India's textile exports.Listing the Government's efforts to boost textile exports, the Minister said that the global mega textile event Bharat Tex 2025 was successfully organised by Textile Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) in February this year and supported by the Ministry of Textiles, showcasing India's potential as a major textile manufacturing hub covering the entire value chain from raw materials to finished products. The event highlighted the diversity and richness of Indian textiles, emphasizing the industry's manufacturing strength, global competitiveness, as well as its commitment to sustainability and circularity.To popularise Indian textiles in global markets and promote Indian textiles, the government is also implementing various initiatives such as PM Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks Scheme, which aims to create a modern, integrated, world-class textile infrastructure; Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme focusing on Man-made Fibre (MMF) Fabrics, MMF Apparel and Technical Textiles to promote large-scale manufacturing and enhance competitiveness; National Technical Textiles Mission focusing on research innovation and development, promotion and market development; SAMARTH - Scheme for Capacity Building in Textiles Sector which aims to provide demand driven, placement oriented skilling programmes, the minister said.read more :-Trump Tariff Fears Sink Market, Nifty & Sensex Fall

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