Can withstand US tariffs, says CNH CEO

Tractor maker looks at setting up second India unit

- NITIN KUMAR

AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT MAKER CNH can continue supplying the US market for more than six months without fresh shipments from India, even as steep tariffs complicate trade flows, CEO Gerrit Marx said on Tuesday.

The Italian-American firm, which exports about 30% of its India-made machines to the US, faces a 50% levy on agricultural machinery imports from India. Marx described the measure as a "pause in an ongoing conversation" rather than a final settlement, and voiced optimism that a resolution could emerge by early next year.

"At the current 50%, you don't export. We have enough stock of locally India-made machines already in the US. Given that the market is slow and we have a decent level of stock, we just stop shipping at this point and wait for the real deal to come up," Marx said during his second visit to India.