Titan Considers Gulf Move To Dodge US Tariffs

India-West News Desk

NEW DELHI- India’s leading jewelry and watch company, Titan, is considering moving some of its production to the Middle East Gulf region. The move would allow the company to maintain low-tariff access to U.S. markets amid rising trade tensions between Washington and New Delhi.

By contrast, the United Arab Emirates, where Titan is expanding its presence, faces a lower 10 per cent tariff under the baseline rate, making it an attractive alternative, Reuters pointed out.

The strategy follows Titan’s recent announcement of a planned $283 million acquisition of a majority stake in Dubai-based luxury retailer Damas. Titan told Reuters that in light of this deal, the company is considering the Gulf “as a manufacturing base to export to the U.S.”

The company, part of the Tata Group, has been actively expanding its Tanishq and CaratLane jewelry brands in the U.S. However, the U.S. is not a feasible manufacturing base itself due to cost and skills constraints, particularly for artisan-made jewelry.