What began as a 27 percent tariff has quietly been revised to 26 percent, placing India at the heart of a global trade re-calibration triggered by US President Donald Trump’s latest tariffs.
The reduction follows a last-minute amendment to the White House document, correcting an inconsistency between figures shown during Trump’s Thursday address and those outlined in the official release. India, initially listed with a higher duty, is one of 14 nations affected by the adjustment.
Bloomberg reports that the annex originally overstated tariffs for several countries, including India, compared to the visuals displayed during Trump’s White House speech. The administration has since amended the documents to reflect the numbers shown publicly.
India, previously preparing for a 27 percent levy, now joins a group of nations caught in a confusing sequence of revisions. South Korea, for example, saw its rate fluctuate before settling at 25 percent, while others — including Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, Norway, and South Africa — also saw last-minute changes.
Despite the shifting landscape, Indian authorities are not expressing major concern. Describing the development as a “mixed bag,” officials have indicated that broader trade negotiations with the US are ongoing, with more clarity expected in the coming months.
Under the updated framework, a universal 10 percent tariff will come into effect from April 5. A few days later, specific countries — among them India — will move to their final assigned rates.
A spokesperson for the White House has stated that the figures in the revised annex are now definitive.
Meanwhile, some regions featured in Trump’s initial presentation — such as Reunion Island, Norfolk Island, and Saint Pierre and Miquelon — were conspicuously absent from the final list. Reunion, notably, was displayed with a hefty 37 percent tariff during the speech, but did not appear in the final documentation.
India, for now, is officially pegged at 26 percent, offering a slight reprieve amid the confusion.
