Goyal Meets US Commerce Secy; Talks Advance Despite Lack of Clarity on Final Tariff Rates

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal met US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor to discuss strengthening bilateral trade and expanding economic engagement, even as uncertainty lingers over the tariff regime Indian exporters may face.

Describing the discussions as “very fruitful” in a post on X, Goyal said the focus was on deepening trade and investment ties between the two economies. The meeting comes at a time when trade negotiations between the two countries remain in flux, with no final clarity on the tariff rates that could apply to Indian goods entering the US market.

US Tariff Regime Faces Legal and Policy Flux

The renewed uncertainty stems from developments in Washington after US President Donald Trump sought alternative mechanisms to impose tariffs. This followed a Supreme Court ruling that struck down his earlier sweeping tariff measures, stating that the President lacked the authority to implement them unilaterally.

Subsequently, the US began levying a 10% tariff on global imports, according to a notice from US Customs and Border Protection. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer indicated that the rate could rise to 15% for certain countries, though no official executive order detailing the revised structure has been issued so far. President Trump has also cautioned trading partners against attempting to circumvent US trade measures, warning of the possibility of “much higher” tariffs in such cases.

For Indian exporters, the absence of formal notification on country-specific rates adds to near-term uncertainty, even as both sides signal willingness to continue dialogue.

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