TDP MP Urges Govt to Press US for Formal Withdrawal of Punitive Duty

• TDP MP Beeda Masthan Rao Yadav urged the Indian government to continue dialogue with the US for formal withdrawal of a 25% punitive duty.
• The US imposed a 25% reciprocal tariff on Indian goods in 2025, linked to India’s purchase of Russian oil, leading to 50-58% tariff burdens on some exports.
• These tariffs severely disrupted trade, eroded competitiveness, and created uncertainty for Indian exporters, especially MSMEs.
• An understanding was announced on February 2, 2026, to reduce the reciprocal tariff from 25% to 18%, a significant relief for exporters.
• Yadav highlighted continuing uncertainty due to the absence of a formal notification from the US government, as the announcement is based on public statements, not legal documentation.

Why It Matters: TDP MP urges India to push US for formal withdrawal of punitive tariffs to ensure certainty for exporters.