US tariffs to have limited impact on India's brass industry: Traders

New Delhi, Sep 1 (IANS) The recent US tariff is not expected to have a major impact on India’s brass industry, as traders believe there are sufficient opportunities within the domestic market.

Brass trader Lakha Bhai Kaiswala told IANS that the US accounts for about 8–9 per cent of India’s total brass exports. While the tariff will certainly affect the competitiveness of Indian exporters, it is unlikely to significantly disrupt the overall brass sector, he said.

Kaiswala said that factories typically manufacture multiple brass products that are exported to various countries, and therefore, the US tariff does not pose a threat to the survival of India’s brass industry.

Kaiswala added that to cushion the impact, the government should consider a relief package similar to those announced during the Covid-19 period, along with schemes to reduce loan interest rates for the industry.

Another trader, Prakash Katarmal, pointed out that before the tariff hike, Indian brass exports to the US faced duties of up to 9 per cent.

This figure has now risen sharply to 59 per cent. He said the higher duty reduces India’s competitiveness, as countries like Vietnam and Taiwan face tariffs of only 18–25 per cent.

Although India’s production costs remain lower than those of competing nations, the steep US tariffs have made Indian products more expensive in the American market.

Despite these challenges, India’s overall economy continues to grow at a robust pace. The country recorded a GDP growth rate of 7.8 per cent in the first quarter of FY26 (April–June), compared with 6.5 per cent in the same period last year.

According to data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO), India’s real GDP stood at Rs 47.89 lakh crore in the April–June quarter, up from Rs 44.42 lakh crore a year earlier.

--IANS

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