Trump Slaps 10% ‘Forced Labour’ Tariff on India, Targets 59 Other Countries

US Imposes New ‘Forced Labour’ Tariffs: India Faces 10% Duty, 59 Other Trading Partners Also Hit

The United States has announced a fresh round of tariffs on 60 trading partners, replacing the temporary 10% global duty introduced earlier this year by President Donald Trump. The new measures, unveiled by the US Trade Representative (USTR), take effect from 12:01 am Eastern Time on Friday.

The revised tariff regime imposes duties ranging from 10% to 12.5% and is expected to cover nearly 99.4% of US imports, according to a USTR fact sheet.

• India Gets Lower 10% Tariff
• India has been placed in the 10% tariff bracket, lower than the initially proposed 12.5% rate.

According to officials cited by ANI, New Delhi secured the lower tariff following discussions with the US on trade practices. Countries including Canada, the United Kingdom and members of the European Union have also been placed in the 10% category.

Meanwhile, countries such as China and Japan will face the higher 12.5% tariff, according to US officials.

US Cites Forced Labour Concerns

Announcing the decision, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the new duties are aimed at encouraging stronger action against forced labour.

“The United States has had a forced labor import ban for nearly a century and rigorously enforces it. It’s well past time for our trading partners to do the same,” Greer said.

The US administration said countries with stronger measures to prohibit forced labour would qualify for the lower tariff rate.

What the New Tariffs Cover

The new duties replace the temporary universal tariff imposed earlier this year after the Trump administration adopted a revised legal framework following a Supreme Court ruling that struck down several earlier tariff measures.

The tariffs will not apply to:

Products already covered by sector-specific duties, including steel and aluminium.
Goods imported under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
More Trade Action May Follow

The Trump administration said the latest tariffs are based on a months-long investigation and have been designed to withstand potential legal challenges.

Washington is also conducting separate investigations into 16 economies over concerns related to excess industrial capacity. Those probes could result in additional tariffs in the coming months.