India increases customs duties on 28 US products

17 Jun 2019 Evaluate

In response to higher tariffs imposed by Washington on Indian products like steel and aluminium, India has increased customs duties on 28 US products, including almond, pulses and walnut with effect from June 15, 2019. The move will hurt American exporters of these 28 items as they will have to pay higher duties, making those items costlier in the Indian market. Earlier, America had imposed 25% tariff on steel and a 10% import duty on aluminium products.

India extended the deadline for imposition of these duties eight times in the hope that some solution would emerge during a negotiation between India and the US on a proposed trade package. But those negotiations came to a halt following the decision of the US to withdraw export incentives to Indian exporters under its Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) programme. These benefits were rolled back from June 5. It will impact goods worth $5.5 billion from India to America.

The country has notified higher tariffs on several goods. Import duty on walnut has been hiked to 120% from 30%, duty on chickpeas, Bengal gram (chana) and masur dal will be raised to 70%, from 30% currently. Levy on lentils will be increased to 40%. The duty on boric acid and binders for foundry moulds would be hiked to 7.5%, while that on domestic reagents will be increased to 10%.

The other products on which duties will be hiked include certain kind of nuts, iron and steel products, apples, pears, flat rolled products of stainless steel, other alloy steel, tube and pipe fittings, and screws, bolts and rivets. Besides, India’s exports to the US in 2017-18 stood at $47.9 billion, while imports were at $26.7 billion. The trade balance is in favour of India.

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