US postpones decision on additional tariffs on India by 90 days

Washington: The United States has postponed a decision on imposing additional tariffs on India for 90 days, pushing the deadline to July 9. The announcement was made through an official order issued by the White House.

However, the temporary suspension does not extend to China, including its special administrative regions Hong Kong and Macau.

On April 2, US President Donald Trump had announced plans to impose tariffs on imports from around 60 countries, including higher levies on nations like India. The move was seen as part of the Trump administration’s broader strategy to narrow the trade deficit and promote domestic manufacturing.

The new tariffs were expected to impact Indian exports ranging from prawns to steel. India was hit with an additional import tax of 26 percent, which remains lower than duties imposed on competing countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, and China.

While the increased tariffs officially came into effect on April 9, the decision to implement further levies on India has now been delayed. Meanwhile, a 10 percent basic tax already imposed on the affected countries will remain in place.