Dhruva Jaishankar, Executive Director of the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), recently outlined the tariff priorities of U.S.

President Donald Trump, reiterating that they primarily focus on Canada, Mexico, China, and to a lesser extent, the European Union.

In a statement made on March 18, 2025, Jaishankar noted that while India has managed to remain somewhat exempt from these tariffs, it could face significant impacts due to the global reciprocal taxes announced by Trump prior to his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Jaishankar highlighted the implications of these tariffs for India, indicating that the country has higher tariffs than the U.S., which could lead to adverse effects alongside other nations like Malaysia and Brazil.

He expressed hope for an interim agreement between India and the U.S. before an upcoming deadline of April 2, suggesting that recent discussions between India's Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and U.S. Trade Representative could pave the way for negotiations aimed at stabilizing trade relations.

The ORF Executive Director also remarked on the potential for intense negotiations in the coming weeks, underscoring the need for both sides to make concessions to avoid escalating tariff measures that could trigger retaliatory actions from India.

He conveyed cautious optimism, noting that Trump has previously shown a willingness to reconsider tariff decisions at critical moments.

The ongoing Raisina Dialogue was also mentioned as an important global forum where such discussions could take place, with over 100 sessions and participation from around 4,000 delegates.

ANI