Donald Trump calls India ‘Tariff King’ but the US quietly charges 350% on your groceries

Contrary to President Donald Trump’s branding of India as a “Tariff King,” official data shows that the United States also levies some of the world’s highest tariffs on key imports — including dairy, tobacco, and food products — in line with protectionist practices common among major economies.

While India’s simple average tariff stands at 17%, the weighted average for U.S. exports to India is under 5%, significantly lower than Trump’s characterizations. 

The top 100 U.S. export items accounted for 75% of India’s $42.2 billion in imports from America in 2023–24, most of them attracting far lower duties than India’s national average.

The World Trade Organization reports that the U.S. imposes tariffs as high as 350% on tobacco, 200% on dairy, and over 130% on fruits, vegetables, and cereals. 

Similarly, India’s duties — such as 150% on whiskey and wines or 125% on certain automobiles — are in line with those of countries like Japan (400% on rice) and Korea (up to 887% on produce).

Meanwhile, discrepancies in trade data continue to complicate negotiations. U.S. figures consistently show higher imports from India than India’s own export records reflect. In 2024, Washington reported $87.4 billion in Indian imports, while New Delhi listed only $80.7 billion — a $6.7 billion gap. A similar $8 billion gap was reported in 2023.

India’s commerce and revenue departments are working to reconcile these mismatches. An official, in an Economic Times report,  pointed out that global databases lean on India’s self-reported tariff data, while the U.S. figures are typically pulled from WTO records—fueling mismatches that could distort trade negotiations.