Have India and the US Rescheduled Their Meeting on the Interim Trade Deal?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
New Delhi, Feb 22 (NationPress) - India and the United States have opted to postpone their official discussions concerning the interim bilateral trade agreement. This decision allows both nations to consider the ramifications of the recent US Supreme Court ruling, which overturned the tariff increases imposed by the Trump administration, as per credible sources.
A meeting that was originally planned to last three days, featuring teams led by the chief trade negotiators from both countries, was scheduled to occur in the US on February 23.
A high-ranking official confirmed that the anticipated visit of the Indian delegation to Washington for finalizing the bilateral trade deal will take place once both sides have assessed the new developments stemming from the Supreme Court's decision. A new date for the meeting will be determined that accommodates both parties, he noted.
On Saturday, former US President Donald Trump announced an increase in global tariffs from 10% to 15% following the significant setback from the Supreme Court on the previous day.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated, "This statement represents my decision, as the President of the United States, to immediately raise the 10% Worldwide Tariff on Countries, many of which have been 'ripping' the U.S. off for decades, to the legally permissible 15% level, following a comprehensive review of the Supreme Court's decision on tariffs that I deem poorly written and anti-American."
On Friday, the Supreme Court of the United States invalidated Trump’s extensive reciprocal tariff measures. The court ruled that the executive branch overstepped its constitutional limits by employing emergency powers to impose broad import duties.
The justices delivered a 6-3 ruling, determining that Trump's robust tariff approach on imported products was not authorized under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) enacted in 1977.
This ruling nullifies many of Trump’s tariffs, though not all. An irate Trump labeled the judgement a "disgrace" during a gathering with governors, asserting he has a contingency plan.