The White House said in a Fact Sheet that India imposes its “own uniquely burdensome” testing and certification requirements in sectors like chemicals, telecom products, and medical devices, making it “difficult or costly” for American companies to sell their products in India. Follow Trump tariff news LIVE updates

In the Fact Sheet issued after Donald Trump’s announcement, the White House stated that if these barriers were removed, US exports to India could increase by at least $5.3 billion annually.

Donald Trump’s tariff on India

Trump introduced a 26 per cent “discounted reciprocal tariff” on India, calling the country “very, very tough.” This tariff is half of the 52 per cent levy India imposes on American goods, he said.

“India, very, very tough. Very, very tough. The Prime Minister just left. He’s a great friend of mine, but I said, ‘You’re a friend of mine, but you’re not treating us right,’” Donald Trump said during his address.

The White House fact sheet, titled ‘President Donald J Trump Declares National Emergency to Increase our Competitive Edge, Protect our Sovereignty, and Strengthen our National and Economic Security,’ also highlighted how the US is confronting unfair trade practices from other countries.

It said that trade imbalances and disparities in tariff rates, citing that the US imposes a 2.5 per cent tariff on passenger vehicle imports, while countries like the European Union (10 per cent) and India (70 per cent) impose significantly higher duties on the same product.

Trump’s tariffs extend beyond India, targeting countries like China, the European Union, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. He also mentioned how non-market policies from China have led to a loss of 3.7 million US jobs between 2001 and 2018, contributing to a growing trade deficit.

At White House’s Rose Garden on Wednesday, Trump held up a chart showing the tariffs imposed by various nations, including India’s 52 per cent tariff on US goods, which will now be met with America’s 26 per cent reciprocal tariffs.

He referred to April 2, 2025, as “Liberation Day,” marking it as a historic moment when American industry would be reborn, and America’s economic power would be reclaimed.

“This is Liberation Day, waiting for a long time,” Trump said, “April 2, 2025, will forever be remembered as the day American industry was reborn, the day America’s destiny was reclaimed, and the day that we began to make America wealthy again.”

During his visit to Thailand, PM Modi will hold talks with his Thai counterpart Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

US tariffs live updates: US President Donald Trump announced a 26 per cent “discounted reciprocal tariff” on India, half of the 52 per cent levies imposed by India on American goods, as he described India as “very, very tough.” “This is Liberation Day, a day we’ve been waiting for a long time. 2nd April 2025 will forever be remembered as the day American industry was reborn, the day America’s destiny was reclaimed, and the day we began to make America wealthy again, going to make it wealthy, good, and wealthy,” Trump said on Wednesday in remarks from the Rose Garden at the White House as he announced the closely watched reciprocal tariffs on countries that impose levies on American goods.

In his nearly hour-long remarks on a cold Wednesday late afternoon in the Rose Garden, Trump listed various countries from around the world and the tariffs they charge on US products, saying, “For decades, our country has been looted, pillaged, raped and plundered by nations near and far, both friend and foe alike. American steelworkers, auto workers, farmers, and skilled craftsmen… They really suffered gravely. They watched in anguish as foreign leaders stole our jobs. Foreign cheaters ransacked our factories, and foreign scavengers tore apart our once-beautiful American dream.”

Joined by factory and automotive workers, as well as members of his Cabinet in the audience, Trump signed the “historic Executive Order” instituting reciprocal tariffs on countries throughout the world.

“Reciprocal. That means they do it to us and we do it to them. Very simple. Can’t get any simpler than that,” Trump said to applause from those gathered for the event.

“Let me offer just a few examples of the vicious attacks our workers have faced for so many years. The United States charges other countries only a 2.4 per cent tariff on motorcycles. Meanwhile, Thailand and others charge much higher rates, like 60 per cent. India charges 70 per cent, Vietnam charges 75 per cent, and others are even higher than that.

“Likewise, until today, the United States has for decades charged a 2.5 per cent tariff. Think of that – 2.5 per cent on foreign-made automobiles. The European Union charges us more than 10 per cent tariffs…. India charges 70 per cent and perhaps worst of all are the non-monetary restrictions imposed by South Korea, Japan, and very many other nations,” he said.

As he announced the tariffs, Trump held up a chart that showed the tariffs that countries such as India, China, the European Union, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan levy on US products, and the reciprocal levies these countries will now have to pay.

On India, the chart showed that the country charged 52 per cent tariffs on the US, “including currency manipulation and trade barriers”, and America would now charge India “discounted reciprocal tariffs” of 26 per cent.

“India, very, very tough. Very, very tough. The Prime Minister just left. He’s a great friend of mine, but I said, ‘You’re a friend of mine, but you’re not treating us right.’ They charge us 52 per cent. You have to understand, we charge them almost nothing, for years and years and decades, and it was only seven years ago, when I came in, we started with China and we took in hundreds of billions of dollars from China in tariffs,” Trump said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi emplanes for Bangkok, Thailand

PM Narendra Modi is on a two-day visit to Thailand at the invitation of Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Prime Minister of Thailand. PM Modi will participate in the 6th BIMSTEC Summit to be held on 4 April 2025. This will be the Prime Minister’s third visit to Thailand.

Gold prices moved closer to their highest-ever level on Wednesday as investors prepared for US President Donald Trump’s upcoming tariff plans.

At 8:02 PM IST spot gold XAU was up by 0.5 per cent, reaching 3,125.82 US Dollars an ounce. Besides, US gold futures GCcv1 gained 0.6 per cent, rising to 3,163.20 US Dollars.

President Donald Trump departs after signing an executive order at an event to announce new tariffs in the Rose Garden of the White House on April 2, 2025.
| Photo Credit: AP

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday (April 2, 2025) listed the high tariffs charged by India on American products as he announced reciprocal tariffs on countries across the board, declaring a 26% “discounted reciprocal tariff” on India.

“This is Liberation Day, a long-awaited moment. 2nd April 2025 will forever be remembered as the day American industry was reborn, the day America’s destiny was reclaimed, and the day that we began to make America wealthy again. We are going to make it wealthy, good, and wealthy,” Mr. Trump said on Wednesday (April 2, 2025) in remarks from the Rose Garden at the White House as he announced the closely watched reciprocal tariffs on countries that impose levies on American goods.

“The United States charges other countries only a 2.4% tariff on motorcycles. Meanwhile, Thailand and others are charging much higher rates, like 60%. India charges 70%, Vietnam charges 75%, and others charge even higher rates,” he said.

Trump tariff announcement | Updates

“Likewise, until today, the United States has, for decades, charged a 2.5% tariff. Think of that 2.5% on foreign-made automobiles. The European Union charges us more than 10% tariffs, and they have a 20% VAT much, much higher. India charges 70% and perhaps worst of all are the non-monetary restrictions imposed by South Korea, Japan, and many other nations as a result of these colossal trade barriers.”

As he announced the tariffs, he held up a chart that showed the tariffs that countries such as India, China, the U.K., and the European Union charge, along with the reciprocal tariffs that these countries will now have to pay.

The chart indicated that India charged 56% tariffs “including currency manipulation and trade barriers,” and America would now charge India a “discounted reciprocal tariff” of 26%.

“India, very, very tough. Very, very tough. The Prime Minister just left. He’s a great friend of mine, but I said, ‘You’re a friend of mine, but you’re not treating us right. They charge us 52%. You have to understand, we charge them almost nothing for years and years and decades, and it was only seven years ago, when I came in, that we started with China.’”

Replying to the nearly 12-hour long debate on the Waqf Bill, 2025, Rijiju, who is the Union Minorities Affairs Minister, said even minuscule minority communities like the Parsis are safe in India and all minorities here live with pride.

“Some members have said that minorities are not safe in India. This statement is completely false. There is no place safer than India for minorities. I am also a minority and we all are living here without any fear and with pride,” he said after the debate on the contentious Bill.

The minister said whenever a minority community faces persecution, it always comes to India to take refuge and cited the examples of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan community, minorities of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.

“Minorities of Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan came to India after facing religious persecution in their respective countries. How can you say that minorities are not safe in India. Very, very wrong to say this.

“The coming generation will never forgive you. Minorities in India are safe because the majorities of the country are fully secular. This is not the case in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. But still, you abuse us,” he said.

Rijiju said through the Bill, the NDA government is going to unify all minorities in the country. He also highlighted the “wholehearted” support of the Christian community for the Bill.

He said a large number of disputes are pending with the Waqf tribunals and through the legislation, the government wants to expedite these cases.

“We want to expedite the resolution of the disputes in the tribunals. Justice delayed is justice denied. Widows, divorcees, and orphans will be given justice through the Bill,” he said.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

The White House confirmed on Tuesday that President Donald Trump will impose new tariffs on Wednesday, though it provided no details about the size and scope of trade barriers that have businesses, consumers and investors fretting about an intensifying global trade war.

Trump has for weeks trumpeted April 2 as a “Liberation Day” that will see dramatic new duties that could upend the global trade system, with a White House Rose Garden announcement scheduled for 4 p.m. Eastern Time (2000 GMT).

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said reciprocal tariffs on countries that impose duties on U.S. goods would take effect immediately after Trump announces them, while a 25% tariff on auto imports will take effect on April 3.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Republican House lawmakers that the reciprocal tariffs Trump will announce represent a “cap” of the highest U.S. tariff level that countries will face and could go down if they meet the administration’s demands, according to Republican Representative Kevin Hern from Oklahoma.

Trump has already imposed tariffs on aluminum and steel imports and has increased duties on all goods from China. But he has also repeatedly threatened to impose other tariffs, only to cancel or postpone them.

Australia shipped to India 10 % of the cotton it produced in 2024, which is higher than the previous years, said Cliff White, representing the Australian Cotton Shippers Association (ACSA).

Mr. White told The Hindu on Wednesday that Australia, which harvests and markets cotton from April to December, shipped 130 tonnes to India in 2024. Under the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement, India buys 51,000 tonnes of cotton duty free every year from Australia. In 2024, the total volume was 130 tonnes, which is 10 % of the 1.2 million tonnes of cotton Australia produces annually and a substantial quantity that attracted 11 % import duty in India.

The Indian imports of cotton from Australia is expected to go up and the ACSA will sign an agreement with the Cotton Association of India on Friday in Mumbai.

On enquiries for the current cotton season (2025), Mr. White said spinners were cautious world over because of the global situation.

They want to wait and watch. The ICE Futures price for July is close to 70 cents a pound and the price movement will depend on US and Brazil production, he said.

Australia produces cotton under strict environmental conditions. It has a “My Best Management Practices” programme for the last 30 years and plans to promote it internationally so that countries coming out with sustainability and traceability norms will have the required documents on Australian cotton. “The industry is discussing it,” he said.

India news: INS Tarkash seizes 2,500 Kg of narcotics in western Indian Ocean

INS Tarkash, a frontline multi-role frigate of the Indian Navy, has seized over 2,500 kg of narcotics in the western Indian Ocean while supporting Combined Task Force-150, a unit under the Bahrain-based Combined Maritime Forces (CMF).