Former senior diplomat Mahesh Sachdev said US tariffs on Indian goods are a "serious setback but not exactly a disaster," warning textiles, gems, jewellery, and seafood exports will be hit hardest, while leather and footwear face limited impact.
Former MoS MJ Akbar criticized the US 50% tariff on India, questioning why Germany and China face no similar measures. He said the tariffs will minimally affect India's trade, weaken the US, and noted India-China ties have strengthened, shifting global focus from Washington to the SCO summit
Following Washington's 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods coming into effect earlier on Wednesday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressed optimism about resolving trade tensions with India, stating, "at the end of the day, we (India and the US) will come together."
Jhalani informed that Rajasthan's handicraft market is worth Rs 9000 crores and being a labour-intensive sector, it provides direct and indirect employment to many people.
Jayesh Patel, a diamond manufacturer and trader, believed that every country has its own policy, and as the US is a large market, the diamond industry will face certain challenges. He further stated that if the tariffs continue in the future then they will find markets in other countries.
He further hoped for a solution from the Union Government, stating that the gems and jewellery trade from Jaipur to the US is worth Rs 11 to 12 lakh crores.
In a post on X, Ramesh said, "The Trump double tariff has come into effect. This will undoubtedly hit our labour-intensive exports to the US - especially textiles, gems & jewellery, leather, marine products, and engineering as well."
The 50 per cent tariffs on imports from India to the United States came into effect on Wednesday after the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published an official notice.
Former Foreign Secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Harsh Vardhan Shringla remained hopeful that India will soon conclude a "satisfactory mutually beneficial" Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US as 50 per cent tariffs are set to kick in on Wednesday.
Georg Enzweiler, Deputy Head of Mission, German Embassy in India, said that Germany would always be in favour of reducing tariffs to the minimum levels, reacting to the reciprocal tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump.
Amid ongoing tariff issues, Xiaobing Feng, Principal Commercial Officer at the US Embassy in India, on Tuesday reaffirmed the US commitment to work with India in many sectors, specifically in the energy security partnership.