Tiruppur

Recent changes in the United States’ tariff regime could work in India’s favour, particularly benefiting the apparel industry, Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) Chairman A Sakthivel said on Friday.

The remarks come after the Supreme Court of the United States struck down a significant portion of President Donald Trump’s tariff policy. In a 6–3 ruling, the court held that the law invoked by the administration did not grant the president authority to impose sweeping import duties.

Following the verdict, Trump announced a uniform 10 per cent tariff on imports from all trading partners, signalling a new phase of his trade strategy. He also defended the trade arrangement with India, describing it as fair and reiterating that US exports would not face reciprocal duties.

Welcoming the development, Sakthivel said lower tariffs globally would benefit India, especially due to the country’s strengths in raw material availability, quality manufacturing and large-scale delivery capacity.

“Tariff reduction is positive for India and the world at large. India enjoys a competitive edge because we have raw materials, strong production capability and consistent quality. Even after the Supreme Court ruling, India stands to gain,” he told ANI.

Referring to ongoing Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) discussions with Washington, Sakthivel said the framework was largely in place and now awaited implementation. He added that India should actively negotiate to secure tariff levels of 10 per cent or lower under the revised regime.

“After the court order, we will have better negotiating space. President Trump has described India as a friendly country, and we should leverage that goodwill,” he said.

On the possibility of refunds for tariffs already paid, Sakthivel expressed caution, noting that any reimbursement would primarily concern US importers and buyers rather than exporters directly.

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Looking ahead, he said interest among American buyers in sourcing from India was rising. “US buyers are increasingly turning to India. This creates a positive environment for our exporters. It is a win-win situation, but India stands to benefit more than many other countries,” he added.