(VOVWORLD) - India will impose higher retaliatory tariffs on 28 US products including almonds, apples and walnuts from Sunday, following Washington’s withdrawal of key trade privileges for New Delhi.
From June 5, President Trump scrapped trade privileges under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) for India, the biggest beneficiary of a scheme that allowed duty-free exports of up to $5.6 billion.
India initially issued an order in June last year to raise import taxes as high as 120% on a slew of US items, incensed by Washington’s refusal to exempt it from higher steel and aluminum tariffs. But New Delhi repeatedly delayed raising tariffs as the two nations engaged in trade talks. India on Saturday amended its previous order “to implement the imposition of retaliatory duties on 28 specified goods originating in or exported from USA” while preserving the existing rate for these goods for all other countries, the government notification said.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who is expected to visit India this month, said this week the United States was open to dialogue to resolve trade differences with India, through greater access for American companies to its markets.