India may escape Trump tariffs set to be imposed from April 2, say sources. Here’s how

Indian officials hinted that a trade negotiations is currently underway between India and the US as US President Donald trump threatened to impose reciprocal tariffs on all the countries it trades with.

Sources were quoted by the Hindustan Times as saying that the Indian side may escape the tariffs that Trump has threatened to impose from April 2 as both sides are actively engaged in constructive negotiations to address each other’s concerns, including tariff and non-tariff barriers.

The statement came at a time when Indian commerce minister Piyush Goyal is on a nearly week-long visit to the US for the trade negotiations.

“An Indian delegation led by commerce minister Goyal is in the US for important meetings. The negotiations are on and we have agreed on having the first tranche of a mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreement by the fall of 2025,” said a person familiar with the ongoing talks.

Another said, " The Indian delegation will deliberate on trade matters on the lines of the joint statement finalised at the meeting between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi on February 13. This visit is part of efforts to negotiate the first tranche of the bilateral trade agreement by the fall.”

Trump tariffs

Trump promised that come April 2, reciprocal tariffs will be imposed for most of the country’s trading partners. “Other countries have used tariffs against us for decades, and now it’s our turn to start using them against those other countries," he said.

“That’s reciprocal, back and forth. Whatever they tax us, we will tax that,” he said. Trump has made similar threats for weeks but said he didn’t want to make the announcement on April 1 because of April Fool’s Day.

"If you don't make your product in America, however, under the Trump administration, you will pay a tariff, and in some cases, a rather large one," he said.

"Other countries have used tariffs against us for decades and now it's our turn to start using them against those other countries. On average, the European Union, China, Brazil, India, Mexico and Canada — have you heard of them? — and countless other nations charge us tremendously higher tariffs than we charge them. It's very unfair. Read more here