Overview
- President Trump’s reciprocal-tariff campaign imposes a 25% duty on Indian imports and adds penalties for Russian equipment and oil purchases.
- IREF national president Prem Garg describes the tariff as a temporary hurdle and highlights flexibility and planning as keys to resilience.
- India exported 2.34 lakh tonnes of basmati rice to the US in FY 2023–24, a fraction of its 52.4 lakh tonnes in global shipments.
- At 25%, the new US duty on Indian rice remains lower than tariffs on competitors such as China (34%), Vietnam (46%), Pakistan (29%) and Thailand (36%).
- IREF plans to work with government agencies and trade bodies to mitigate duties and pursue market diversification for its exporters.