‘No Apr 2 deadline for India’: Centre denies committing to lower tariffs for US
New Delhi: India has made no commitment to the United States regarding lowering tariffs, the Centre informed the parliamentary standing committee on external affairs during a meeting on Monday.
According to multiple media reports, Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal told the panel that New Delhi is considering reducing duties on certain items like nuts but has not agreed to any broader tariff cuts.
He also assured that the government would protect the domestic dairy industry.
This is the first time the Centre has commented on the ongoing tariff negotiations, which gained traction after US President Donald Trump claimed on March 7 that India had "agreed to cut their tariffs way down now."
Barthwal, however, reportedly clarified that any tariff reduction would be negotiated bilaterally and not through temporary duty adjustments.
He also mentioned that India has sought time until September to address the reciprocal tariff concerns and there is no fixed timeline for a resolution.
The issue was raised by several leaders, including Trinamool Congress MP Sagarika Ghose and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, according to a Times of India report.
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