US Imposes New Tariffs on 60 Nations, India Hit With 10% Levy Over Forced Labour
The United States has imposed new double-digit tariffs on at least 60 of its trading partners, including India, China, and the United Kingdom, citing inadequate enforcement of bans on goods produced by forced labour. Announced by President Donald Trump, the tariffs range from 10% to 12.5% on imports from these nations. Critics view this as part of a broader campaign to reduce American reliance on imports.
The move comes as stopgap levies imposed after a Supreme Court defeat are set to expire. The White House order states that countries without any law barring imports of forced labour goods—such as China, the UK, and Japan—will face a 12.5% tariff. Nations that have such laws but fail to enforce them, including India, Sri Lanka, and the European Union, will face a 10% levy.
Some imports, such as those under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement and oil and gas, are exempted from the new tariffs.
Timing and Background
The tariffs take effect at 12:01 am on Friday, coinciding with the expiration of a temporary 10% import tax imposed earlier. That measure followed a February Supreme Court judgment that invalidated Trump's earlier 'Liberation Day' tariffs from April 2025.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer justified the action, stating, 'The United States has had a forced labour import ban for nearly a century, and rigorously enforces it. It's well past time for our trading partners to do the same.' He called it a corrective for both human rights abuse and distortive trade practices.
Impact on India
With the latest measure, the total tariff on Indian imports remains at 10%. Previously, imports from India had been subject to a standard 10% global surcharge imposed after the Supreme Court's February hearing, which expires today. Trump had earlier threatened an additional 12.5% penalty on India over forced labour enforcement concerns.
However, the White House noted that after the publication of the Notice of Determinations, certain economies like India, Cambodia, Guatemala, Honduras, Sri Lanka, and Trinidad and Tobago have imposed forced labour import prohibitions or made commitments in an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (Jordan). Consequently, these economies face the 10% rate 'to further encourage effective enforcement.'
Future Tariffs Expected
According to a Washington Post report, the Trump administration is expected to introduce another set of tariffs within weeks. These would target goods from countries that subsidise excess manufacturing capacity, leading to low-cost exports that undercut US companies.
President Trump appears determined to rebuild the tariff wall after the Supreme Court's February ruling, using legal measures considered less vulnerable to challenge than his earlier rushed approach.
