Key facts
- The US has proposed a 12.5% tariff on Indian imports.
- The proposed tariffs are reportedly due to concerns over forced labor practices.
- India remains engaged in discussions with the US.
- Negotiations for a trade framework agreement are continuing.
- Stakeholders can submit requests for public hearings by June 22.
India has indicated that it remains engaged in discussions with the United States following Washington's proposal of new tariffs on imports from various trading partners, including India. The country also confirmed that negotiations for a broader trade framework agreement, which was announced earlier this year, are continuing. The US proposal involves a 12.5% tariff on Indian imports, reportedly due to concerns over forced labor practices. The USTR report indicates that the proposed tariffs are not yet final, and stakeholders can submit requests to participate in public hearings by June 22. The administration has settled on a more legally and politically durable way to impose tariffs, but some say the focus on forced labor is merely a pretext for protectionism.