India looks on nervously as Trump wields tariff threat

Delhi hopes tariff cuts have put it ahead of the game - but will that satisfy Trump, or is trade action still on the table?

British Broadcasting CorporationWatch LiveHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersIndia looks on nervously as Trump wields tariff threat16 hours agoSoutik Biswas and Nikhil InamdarBBC News, DelhiGetty ImagesIndian MP Ranjeet Ranjan on her Harley Davidson in 2016 - during his first term Trump brought up the then higher tariffs on the bikesLast week India further slashed import duties on motorcycles, cutting tariffs on heavyweight bikes with engines above 1,600cc from 50% to 30% and smaller ones from 50% to 40%.

A pre-emptive move designed to further smoothen the entry of Harley Davidsons into India – and, Delhi hopes, ward off any threat of tariffs. US motorcycle exports to India were worth $3m last year.

Donald Trump has marked his return to the White House by brandishing trade measures against America's neighbours and allies as well as its big rival China.

India hopes it is ahead of the game – but will its tariff cuts satisfy Trump, or is trade action still on the table?

"Canada and Mexico are literally two arms of the US. If he has acted against them, he could easily act against India too," says Ajay Srivastava, founder of the Delhi-based think tank Global Trade Research Institute (GTRI).

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn93eyp5r2zo

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