Lakshmana Venkat Kuchi
The exporting community in India expressed its deep disappointment over the latest tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump and feared that it might have far-reaching repercussions across India's economy with disruptions in critical supply chains, stalling exports that could threaten thousands of livelihoods.
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In a statement the Gems and Jewellrey Export Promotion Council chairman Kirit Bhansal said,“The U.S. announcement of a sweeping 25% tariff on all Indian goods, along with vague penalties affecting strategic ties, is a deeply concerning development. If implemented, this move could have far-reaching repercussions across India’s economy, disrupting critical supply chains, stalling exports, and threatening thousands of livelihoods.
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Especially feels threatened is the gem and jewellrey section as it stands to be severely impacted. America being the country’s single largest market, accounting for over $10 billion in exports—nearly 30% of our industry’s total global trade. “A blanket tariff of this magnitude will inflate costs, delay shipments, distort pricing, and place immense pressure on every part of the value chain—from small karigars to large manufacturers,” Bhansal said.
“We recognise the need to address trade imbalances, but such extreme measures undermine decades of economic cooperation. We urge the U.S. administration to reconsider, and call on both governments to engage in constructive dialogue that safeguards bilateral trade and protects the millions of jobs that depend on it on both sides.”
A representative from the health sector, Sanjaya Mariwala, Executive Chairman and Managing Director of OmniActive Health Technologies, said that “the 25 percent tariff is a serious blow to Indian exports, especially when the US has been our biggest trading partner for years. Pharma and electronics are taking the biggest hit. Beyond monetary, this move adds a layer of uncertainty to an already shaky global trade environment.”
India, he said, just isn’t a key supplier of generics to the US, but is also a part of the backbone of affordable global healthcare. “These duties may interrupt the smooth trade flow, inflate US drug costs, stall treatments, and put even greater pressure on American healthcare budgets. Back home, the profits for Indian pharmaceutical firms may decline, and R&D may stagnate, slowing down innovation and stalling new drug clearances,” Mariwala said.