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Trump’s uniform 15% tariff could benefit parts of Asia-Pacific: Moody’s

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[ad_1] A proposed uniform 15 per cent tariff by US President Donald Trump could offer relief to several Asia-Pacific economies that have been dealing with significantly higher, country-specific duties, according to Moody's Analytics.In a note released Tuesday, the firm said economies such as China and parts of Southeast Asia stand to gain the most from a standardised tariff regime. In contrast, the impact on countries like Japan, South Korea and Taiwan would be limited, as their existing base tariff rates are already close to 15 per cent.Also Read: India’s refund rollback lands exporters with a bigger bill"There is a lot of uncertainty, but we do know a few things. A uniform 15 per cent tariff would benefit some Asia-Pacific economies that have faced much steeper country-specific levies," the report said.The development follows a recent ruling by the US Supreme Court, which struck down the Trump administration’s country-specific tariff structure. In response, Trump...

Indian textile exporter Gokaldas expects margin lift after US trade deal

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[ad_1] Indian textile maker Gokaldas Exports , a supplier to Walmart, sees pressure on its core earnings margins easing in fiscal 2027 as lower U.S. tariffs under India's trade deal begin to provide relief, its top executive told Reuters on Tuesday. The company, which derives about ‌75% of ⁠its standalone revenue ⁠from the U.S. and counts Walmart, Gap, and JCPenney among its clients, expects quarterly core profit margins to improve to the early double digits from 9.7% in the third quarter of fiscal 2026.However, Gokaldas did not specify an exact timeline, saying the benefits would materialise sometime after the second quarter of fiscal 2027. The ⁠company's margins ‌took a hit since the tariffs were imposed, as it offered discounts and absorbed part of the additional costs ⁠tied to the higher U.S. tariffs to preserve client relationships.India's $38 billion textile export sector has been struggling with elevated U.S. tariffs that were significantly steeper than those ...

India-GCC FTA: Piyush Goyal signs Joint Statement for trade pact with Gulf Cooperation Council

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[ad_1] India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) signed the Joint Statement for a free trade agreement (FTA) on Monday, marking a major step towards deeper collaboration in key strategic areas. The signing took place in the presence of the distinguished delegations and representatives of both the parties.Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal signed the key document with Jasem Mohammad Al Budaiwi, Secretary General of the GCC. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) includes six member countries, namely Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain.Also read: India sets sail to add more trade muscle as it signs FTA terms with Gulf Cooperation CouncilGoyal underscored that the relationship which is deeply rooted in shared history and cultural linkages, would get further impetus from a broad-based and mutually beneficial FTA. He also underlined that amidst global uncertainties, it is most opportune that discussions are starting on negotiating a r...

India, Israel launch first round of FTA talks

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[ad_1] New Delhi: India and Israel on Tuesday began the first round of negotiations for a proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in the national capital, with discussions scheduled from February 23 to 26, 2026.The talks follow the signing of the Terms of Reference (ToR) in November 2025, which laid down a formal framework to strengthen bilateral trade and economic cooperation.According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, technical teams from both sides are holding discussions on trade in goods and services, rules of origin, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, customs procedures, trade facilitation and intellectual property rights.During the opening session, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said the negotiations had commenced at an opportune time, coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel from February 25–26. He highlighted opportunities in sectors such as innovation, science and technology, artificial intelligence, cybersecu...

India, US to resume trade talks once there is clarity on tariffs, says Piyush Goyal

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[ad_1] India and the United States will resume negotiations on their proposed interim trade pact once there is greater clarity on tariff changes announced by Washington, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday, days after the two sides deferred a scheduled meeting of trade negotiators amid a reset of US duties.The three-day meeting, which was to begin in Washington on Monday, was postponed after the US administration recalibrated its tariff regime following a Supreme Court ruling that struck down the sweeping reciprocal duty structure introduced under President Donald Trump.Also read: Trump working to change US tariff rate to 15%, official says 'no change of heart' on President's planOfficials said the talks would be rescheduled at a mutually convenient date after both countries assess the implications of the latest developments. The Indian delegation was to be led by chief negotiator Darpan Jain.New Delhi is also expected to seek legal opinion on...

India launches 1st round of FTA talks with Israel, inks joint statement for GCC pact

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[ad_1] New Delhi: India and the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Tuesday signed the Joint Statement for the India–GCC free trade agreement (FTA), formally launching negotiations for a comprehensive and mutually beneficial agreement.GCC is India’s largest trading partner bloc with bilateral trade reaching $178.56 billion in FY25, accounting for 15.42% of India’s global trade.Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain are members of the GCC.The statement was signed between commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal and GCC Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiw. The two sides had signed the Terms of Reference (ToR) on February 5.“This marks a major step toward deeper collaboration in key strategic areas, including trade in goods, customs procedures, services, digital trade, cutting-edge technologies, and enhanced investment flows between India and the six GCC member nations,” Goyal said in a post on X.Live EventsThe GCC region is also a significant source o...

WTO sets up panel in China's case against India's certain auto, renewable measures

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[ad_1] New Delhi, The World Trade Organisation's dispute settlement body has set up a panel in a case filed by China against India over its measures in the automotive and renewable energy sectors, an official said on Tuesday.The panel was set up as both sides failed to resolve the issue through a bilateral consultation process under the aegis of the WTO.In October last year, Beijing alleged that certain conditions in India's Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes for advanced chemistry cell batteries, automobiles and the policy to promote the manufacturing of electric vehicles violate global trade rules by discriminating against Chinese goods."At the second request of China, the Dispute Settlement Body (of the WTO) agreed at its meeting to establish a panel to examine certain Indian measures in the automotive and renewable energy sectors," the Geneva-based official said.In a communication to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), China has stated that consultat...