Overview

• The U.S. has imposed a 50% tariff on many Indian exports, with the measures now in force.
• Kamal Haasan denounced the duties as a “new imperial tool” and said they are unrelated to trade or Ukraine.
• He urged the Union and state governments to provide a two-year moratorium on MSME loan repayments, an emergency credit line, expanded guarantees, low-interest export credit, and time-bound clearance of pending GST, RoDTEP, and RoSCTL refunds.
• His proposals include temporary power-tariff concessions, freight support to open new markets, liberalised import norms for synthetic yarns, and a single-window fast track for export compliance and refunds.
• Expressing solidarity with affected hubs and sectors, he contrasted U.S. treatment of China with India and called for a decade-long push for self-reliance in rare earths, semiconductors, batteries, power electronics, and advanced textiles.