Jayant Dasgupta On Trump Tariffs | How Will India Respond To Rising Trade Pressures?

As the U.S. imposes steep tariffs on imports, including a 27% duty on Indian goods, what lies ahead for India’s trade and economic strategy? In conversation with Siddharth Zarabi, Editor, Business Today, former WTO Ambassador Dr. Jayant Dasgupta calls the development a “wake-up call” not just for India, but for the global trading community.While the immediate impact may weigh on global consumers, Dr. Dasgupta stresses that India must focus on two key priorities: first, explore avenues to reduce U.S. tariffs on Indian products through dialogue; and second, urgently improve domestic competitiveness. With high transaction costs and patchy infrastructure still a concern, he argues that India must set its “own house in order” regardless of whether Trump’s tariffs are reversed in six months or several years.