TRUMP’S TRADE WAR OPENS A DOOR FOR INDIA

Balancing diplomacy with reform could unlock country’s long-delayed manufacturing dream

- BY NIDHI RAZDAN | Special to Gulf News

The world has reeled from the sweeping tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump who later announced a 90-day pause against most countries.

However the trade war with China has only escalated and the baseline 10 per cent tariffs against every nation remains. What the see-saw of the last week has established even more clearly is that Trump is wildly unpredictable and many of his threats are not just empty noises. The 90-day pause will give many countries a breather to see what best they can negotiate with the Americans.

For India, there is a massive opportunity in this turmoil. By choosing not to react harshly or retaliate against the US, India thinks it is handling Trump with pragmatism. This would be the right time for India to relook at it’s own protectionist schemes.