India Achieves Landmark Trade Victory: Unlocks $30-Trillion U.S. Market
Topic: India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement
The India–U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement marks a major milestone in India’s global trade engagement. By securing preferential access to the massive $30 trillion U.S. market, the deal offers comprehensive tariff rationalisation and zero-duty access across large product categories. Crucially, it includes a calibrated framework to safeguard India’s farmers, MSMEs, and domestic industries.
The agreement creates a clear tariff differential favoring India over competitors like China and Vietnam.
- Textiles & Apparel: Silk gets 0% duty. Tariffs on garments dropped to 18%. Boosts job creation.
- Gems & Jewellery: 0% duty on diamonds & platinum ($29 Bn market). General tariff cut to 18%.
- Agriculture: Zero duty for spices, tea, coffee, mangoes, etc. Sensitive sectors (Dairy, Meat, Cereals) fully protected.
- Technology & Digital: Enhanced access to semiconductors and high-tech inputs for Digital India.
📢 Strategic Advantage This deal gives India a competitive edge with lower tariffs compared to China (35%) and Vietnam (20%). It balances export growth with robust protection for domestic farmers and MSMEs.
