India Among 60 Economies Facing Proposed US Tariffs 

WASHINGTON, D.C.– The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has proposed imposing additional tariffs of up to 12.5 percent on imports from India and 59 other economies over what it described as their failure to prohibit and effectively enforce restrictions on goods produced with forced labor.

The proposed action, announced under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, follows a USTR determination that 60 economies have failed to impose and effectively enforce prohibitions on imports produced with forced labor, a practice the agency said is unreasonable and burdens or restricts U.S. commerce.

U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer said the failure of “our most important trading partners to address the importation of goods made with forced labor is unacceptable.”

“This creates a dynamic where American workers are forced to compete globally on an unlevel playing field,” Greer said.

“We will no longer tolerate this disparity. Some trading partners have taken initial steps to prevent the importation of forced labor goods, including through USMCA and commitments in Agreements on Reciprocal Trade. However, each of our trading partners must do more to ensure that trade does not perversely encourage and entrench forced labor globally,” he added.

Under the proposal, economies that impose a forced-labor import prohibition, have committed to imposing and enforcing such a prohibition through an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade, or have imposed a partial regime aimed at preventing the importation of certain forced-labor goods would face an additional tariff of 10 percent.

All other economies would face an additional tariff of 12.5 percent, according to the USTR.

The USTR will hold hearings on the proposed measures on July 7, 2026. (IANS)