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United States President Donald Trump has sharply defended his administration’s sweeping reciprocal tariffs, vowing to appeal a federal court decision that struck them down as unconstitutional.  The case, now heading to the U.S. Supreme Court , threatens to dismantle one of Trump’s most significant economic policy pillars and could reset the legal balance between Congress and the presidency in trade governance. Image Source: Office of the First Lady At the center of the dispute is India -- now the hardest-hit U.S. trade partner  -- and the broader geopolitical implications of what Trump called an “economic defense doctrine.” Appeals Court Strikes at Tariff Foundation The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled last week that President Trump’s reliance on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to justify unilateral tariffs exceeded legal authority .  The decision temporarily suspends enforcement of the tariffs until October 14, 2025, providin...

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday slammed what he called India’s offer to reduce tariffs on American imports to “nothing,” saying New Delhi should have acted “years ago.”  His comments come as India faces a 50% tariff burden from Washington, a penalty imposed after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government refused to halt purchases of discounted Russian crude oil. Image Source: PoliticsVideoChannel In a lengthy post on social media, Trump accused India of running a “totally one-sided relationship” with the United States for decades.  He argued that while India sells “massive amounts of goods” to the American market, U.S. companies face prohibitive barriers in India.  “It has been a totally one-sided disaster,” he wrote, adding that India “buys most of its oil and military products from Russia, very little from the U.S.” Trump’s administration first imposed a 25% reciprocal tariff on Indian exports in early August and then added a further 25% levy targeting Rus...

A federal appeals court on Friday ruled that most of U.S. President Donald Trump’s global tariffs were imposed without legal authority, striking at the heart of his signature trade policy.  Image Source: White House The decision, delivered by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, held that the statute Trump relied upon -- the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) -- does not empower the president to unilaterally impose tariffs on specific countries or across broad categories of imports. The ruling marks a major blow to Trump’s trade agenda, which during his administration introduced sweeping tariffs under the justification of addressing national security and economic emergencies.  Trump is widely expected to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.  To enable this process, the appellate court temporarily paused the effect of its ruling until October 14, granting the administration time to file its case. The White House has not yet issued...

Amid escalating global trade tensions and shifting geopolitical alignments, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official visit to Tokyo for the 15th Annual India–Japan Summit has resulted in a broad strategic realignment with Japan, positioning the bilateral relationship as a cornerstone of India’s evolving regional strategy.  Image Source: PM NaMo A series of high-level engagements, policy announcements, and joint declarations have laid out an ambitious framework for a decade-long cooperation plan across economic, technological, environmental, and security domains. The visit, which precedes Modi’s arrival in China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, has drawn international attention, not only for its deliverables but also for its broader geopolitical implications.  Coming against the backdrop of rising friction between New Delhi and Washington over energy policy and tariffs, India’s focus on East Asian partnerships has intensified. Japan, long considere...

India's Ministry of External Affairs held a special press briefing in Tokyo on August 29 to outline the outcomes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Japan for the 15th Annual Summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.  Image Source: PM NaMo Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, joined by Ambassador Sibi George and Joint Secretary (East Asia) Gourangalal Das, described the visit as “a reaffirmation of ambition and clarity” in India–Japan relations and marked by broad-based agreements aimed at shaping the next decade of bilateral engagement. Following Prime Minister Modi’s arrival in Tokyo and participation in the India–Japan Economic Forum earlier in the day, he held a series of high-level meetings, including delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Ishiba and bilateral interactions with former Prime Ministers Yoshihide Suga and Fumio Kishida.  The leaders witnessed the exchange of multiple agreements and jointly addressed the press, with Prime Minister Ishiba host...

In a joint press statement delivered in Tokyo on August 29, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Fumio Ishiba of Japan revealed a wide-ranging strategic roadmap for the next decade of bilateral engagement, and set in motion a new phase in the Special Strategic and Global Partnership between the two countries.  Image Source: PM NaMo Prime Minister Modi expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome received from the Japanese government, describing the talks as “productive and purposeful,” and reaffirmed that the partnership between India and Japan is not only vital for their respective nations but also holds broader relevance for global peace and stability. The two leaders agreed that strong and vibrant democracies are natural partners in shaping a better world.  During the statement, Prime Minister Modi announced a joint vision focused on key areas such as investment, innovation, economic security, technology, environment, mobility, health, people-to-people ties, and...

Speaking at the India–Japan Economic Forum in Tokyo on August 29, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged deeper bilateral engagement across manufacturing, innovation, green energy, infrastructure, and human capital, underlining Japan’s longstanding contribution to India’s economic growth. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his first engagement after arriving in Tokyo, addressed top business leaders from both nations alongside Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Ishiba.  Image Source: PM NaMo He began by thanking Prime Minister Ishiba for joining the event and praised the long-standing partnership between India and Japan, calling it a pillar of mutual trust and strategic logic.  He noted that Japanese firms have invested over $40 billion in India, with $13 billion of that arriving in just the past two years.  Citing data from JBIC and JETRO, he said 80 percent of Japanese companies in India are looking to expand, and 75 percent are already profitable. “In India, capital does n...

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday delivered a strong statement defending India's small entrepreneurs, farmers and rural producers, just two days before the United States is set to impose a sweeping 50% tariff on Indian imports.  File Photo Source: PM NaMo Speaking at a rally in Ahmedabad, the Prime Minister framed the move as part of a broader geopolitical realignment, calling attention to the growing trend of global politics being driven by economic self-interest. “Today in the world, everyone is doing politics based on economic interests. From this land of Ahmedabad, I want to tell all my small entrepreneurs, small shopkeepers, farmers, and animal husbandry workers—this is the land of Gandhi--I promise you again and again: your interests are paramount for Modi,” the Prime Minister said.  “My government will never allow harm to come to small businesses, farmers, or cattle rearers. No matter how much pressure comes, we will continue to strengthen our resolve.” Th...

India has reaffirmed its position that any trade deal with the United States -- including decisions around purchasing Russian crude oil -- will be governed strictly by national interest. This comes amid heightened pressure from the Trump administration and an imminent escalation of trade tensions, with 50% tariffs on Indian exports to the U.S. set to take effect on August 27. Image Source: Ficci_India A 25% tariff already in place since August 7 is expected to double later this month, with the additional burden attributed by Washington to India’s continued crude oil trade with Russia.  The Trump administration claims these purchases are indirectly supporting the Russia-Ukraine war -- a position India has firmly rejected as “unfounded and coercive.” At the Economic Times World Leaders Forum in New Delhi, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal both made clear that India would not be swayed by geopolitical pressure, and would continue to act in...

India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar arrived in Moscow this week for high-level engagements aimed at recalibrating India-Russia economic ties, as both nations navigate a shifting global order marked by Western sanctions, U.S. tariff pressures, and deepening energy interdependence. Image Source: MEA/FM on X At the heart of the talks was a growing imbalance in bilateral trade. India’s increased imports of discounted Russian crude -- which now account for around 44% of its oil supply -- have widened the trade deficit to an estimated $58.9 billion.  Addressing the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission for Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC) alongside Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, Jaishankar described the gap as a “serious concern” requiring urgent solutions. “We need to address this imbalance by diversifying trade, removing bottlenecks, and finalising the India–Eurasian Economic Union free trade agreeme...

The Indian Ministry of Defence on Friday rejected a Reuters report claiming that New Delhi had paused talks on major defence purchases from the United States, calling the report “false and fabricated.” In a statement, ministry officials said procurement cases “are being progressed as per the extant procedures.” An earlier version of this story cited the Reuters report; the reference was inadvertent and is deeply regretted. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a detailed phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, reaffirming the India–Russia “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership” just days after U.S. President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on Indian exports to 50% over New Delhi’s Russian oil purchases. The call came as tariff tensions between Washington and New Delhi intensified, with the Trump administration accusing India of “undermining U.S. foreign policy” by continuing energy imports from Russia.  Image Source: Russia News on X According to ...

Tensions between Canada and the United States have intensified this week following the imposition of new 35 per cent tariffs by the US government, up from a previous 25 per cent, in what Washington described as a response to continued Canadian "inaction and retaliation."  The latest move by the White House comes after both sides failed to reach a new trade agreement by the August 1 deadline and amid growing concerns about the long-term future of bilateral economic cooperation. Image Source: SherlockEditor on X The increased tariff rate, which applies to goods not covered by the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), now affects key Canadian exports including steel, aluminum, and copper, with duty rates on these goods now standing at 50 per cent.  According to trusted local media, the Canadian prime minister stated that he would engage with the US president “when it makes sense,” while emphasizing that approximately 85 per cent of Canadian trade with the United States ...

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday launched a sharp attack on India once again for its alleged continued purchase and resale of Russian oil , accusing New Delhi of profiting from the Ukraine war and warning of a major tariff hike on Indian exports to the U.S.  Image Source: BasuAshis In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed India was indifferent to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and leveraging the conflict for economic gain.  “India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian Oil, they are then... selling it on the Open Market for big profits. They don’t care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine,” Trump wrote.  “Because of this, I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA.” The warning comes amid growing Trump administration frustration over India’s refusal to align with the West on isolating Russia.  Officials say India’s energy and defense deals with Moscow undermine U.S.-led sanctions and dilute...

India strongly advocated for equitable trade rules and deeper cooperation within the Global South at the 15th BRICS Trade Ministers’ Meeting, hosted under Brazil’s Presidency. Speaking against export controls among BRICS members, India urged mutual support and highlighted its commitment to a transparent, rules-based multilateral trading system.  Image Source: Wiki/Representational only. Representing India, Economic Adviser Yashvir Singh stressed the need to eliminate restrictive measures that disrupt supply chains and called on developed nations to enable concessional transfer of green technologies .  A speech delivered on behalf of Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal commended Brazil’s consensus-driven approach and welcomed Indonesia’s induction into BRICS . The meeting culminated in a Joint Declaration and three key frameworks focused on WTO reform, digital economy governance, and sustainable trade—...

India and the European Union (EU) are working to conclude an early harvest trade deal by July 2025 , as part of a two-stage approach toward a broader Free Trade Agreement (FTA) . The deal would mirror India’s interim agreement with Australia , covering key areas such as tariffs, non-tariff barriers, intellectual property rights, government procurement , and sanitary and phytosanitary measures . Indian officials to arrive in Brussels today for India-EU Free Trade Agreement negotiations. Deal expected to close by the end of 2025. — Filter Coffee ☕️ (@FilterCoffeeHQ) May 21, 2025 The move is aimed at accelerating trade liberalisation while larger FTA negotiations continue. India’s Chief Negotiator, Satya Srinivas , is currently in Brussels to fast-track the talks. The two sides are pursuing a comprehensive pact that also includes a bilateral investment protection agreement and recognition of geographical indications (GIs) . India-EU FTA talks move forward, with a phased deal l...

India has formally taken over the Chairmanship of the Asian Productivity Organization (APO) for the 2025–26 term , during the 67th Session of the APO Governing Body Meeting , being held from May 20–22 in Jakarta, Indonesia . The Indian delegation is being led by Shri Amardeep Singh Bhatia , Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and APO Director for India. Image Source: PIB As Chair, India reaffirmed its commitment to the APO Vision 2030 and the advancement of the Green Productivity 2.0 framework. It also stressed the need for regional cooperation in digital transformation, sustainability, innovation, and entrepreneurship. India expressed its intent to support inclusive and result-oriented programs to address the productivity challenges in the Asia-Pacific region. Over 100 Indian professionals participate annually in APO-led capacity-building programs through the National Productivity Council (NPC) under DPIIT. These programs have contribu...