Reciprocal tariff waiver...

LEAVITT ADDED THAT these so-called high tariffs "make it virtually impossible for US products to be imported into these markets."

- Leavitt

The comments came despite the fact that India's average agriculture tariff, even after an escalation seen in recent years, is 39% at present, with the trade weighted rate being 65%. Of course, India levies 100% tariffs on walnuts and 150% on alcoholic beverages, but most other items of export interest to the US attract much lower tariffs in India.

While New Delhi has recently rolled out sweeping cuts to duties on American goods ranging from textiles to motorcycles, the US had asked India to make greater concessions across sectors, including farming.

A USTR report on foreign trade barriers underscored India's high levies structure, including 39% tariffs on agricultural products, eight times what the US charges. The country maintains high applied tariffs on a wide range of goods, including vegetable oils, apples, corn, coffee, raisins and walnuts, it said, using data from 2023.

In fact, the National Trade Estimate (NTE) report by the USTR singled out India for having "highest applied tariffs" by a major world economy with an average applied tariff rate of 13.5% for non-agricultural goods and 39% for agricultural goods.