Despite Supreme Court Setback, Trump Doubles Down on Tariffs; India Trade Pact Unshaken
In a striking display of political defiance, US President Donald Trump has insisted that America’s recalibrated trade arrangement with India will proceed unchanged, even after the United States Supreme Court struck down his sweeping reciprocal tariff regime in a 6–3 verdict, ruling it inconsistent with federal law.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Trump brushed aside questions over whether the court’s decision would alter the recently negotiated interim trade agreement between Washington and New Delhi. “Nothing changes,” he asserted firmly.
Under the new framework, India will continue to face an 18 per cent tariff on its exports to the United States — a substantial reduction from the earlier 50 per cent levy — while New Delhi has agreed to eliminate tariffs on American goods.
The agreement, expected to be formally signed by the end of March, marks what Trump described as a “flip” in trade dynamics.
Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “a great gentleman” and “much smarter than the people he was against,”
Trump nevertheless reiterated his long-held claim that India had previously enjoyed an unfair advantage in bilateral trade.
“We are not paying tariffs to them, and they are,” he said, portraying the new deal as a corrective to what he has repeatedly characterized as imbalanced commerce.
A Presidency Defined by Tariff Turbulence
The controversy surrounding Trump’s tariff policies is hardly new. From the early days of his presidency, he embraced tariffs as both economic weapon and negotiating tool, targeting allies and rivals alike under the banner of “reciprocity.”
His administration imposed duties on steel and aluminum imports, launched a bruising tariff war with China, and threatened levies on European and Asian partners in a bid to shrink America’s trade deficit.
Critics across party lines have accused Trump of stretching executive authority beyond constitutional limits, arguing that his broad invocation of emergency trade powers bypassed congressional oversight.
Economists warned that the tariff barrage disrupted supply chains, inflated consumer prices, and unsettled global markets.
Several American business groups filed legal challenges, contending that the measures were arbitrary and economically counterproductive.
Friday’s Supreme Court ruling marks a significant institutional rebuke. The majority held that the administration’s blanket tariffs on goods from nearly all trading partners exceeded statutory authority.
Yet Trump’s immediate response underscored his determination to maintain the political narrative that tariffs are indispensable leverage.
India at the Crossroads
For India, the revised tariff arrangement represents a pragmatic compromise amid global uncertainty.
The earlier 50 per cent tariff proposal had triggered concern among exporters in sectors ranging from pharmaceuticals to textiles and auto components.
The rollback to 18 per cent has eased immediate pressure, though it still signals a tougher trade environment.
Diplomatically, both nations appear keen to preserve strategic momentum. Over recent years, India and the United States have deepened cooperation in defense, technology, and Indo-Pacific security.
Trade friction, however, has remained a recurring irritant, with disagreements over market access, digital taxes, and agricultural imports surfacing periodically.
While Trump framed the new pact as a triumph of American negotiating power, opposition leaders and policy analysts argue that the broader tariff scare has yielded more turbulence than tangible gain.
Markets have oscillated, allies have expressed frustration, and legal battles have intensified — producing, as many critics note, more brickbats than accolades.
Yet for Trump, the narrative remains unchanged: tariffs are leverage, deals are victories, and retreat is not an option — even in the face of judicial pushback.
As the anticipated signing date approaches, the world will watch closely to see whether political resolve can outlast constitutional scrutiny, and whether the recalibrated trade balance truly delivers the stability both nations publicly seek.
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