Trump's Tariff Stick Waved at Shrimp India, Trade War on the Trigger?

Recently, U.S. President Trump has targeted India's shrimp industry and plans to deal with India's high tariff barriers on U.S. goods by implementing reciprocal tariffs.  This policy adjustment may not only have an impact on India's shrimp export industry, but may also trigger turbulence in the global seafood market. 

On February 13, during Indian Prime Minister Modi's visit to the United States, Trump warned him that the United States might soon impose a new round of "reciprocal tariffs" on India.  The core of this policy is to force trading partners to lower tariff barriers to American goods through tariff collection, thus expanding the export market for American goods.  Trump said that no matter which country imposes tariffs on the United States, the United States will fight back in the same way to maintain so-called "trade fairness." 

As one of the world's largest shrimp exporters, India has been an important source of seafood supply to the United States.  In 2024, the United States imported up to 327,000 tons of seafood from India, of which shrimp products accounted for the majority, valued at US $2.2 billion.  By contrast, however, US seafood exports to India are minuscule.  This huge trade surplus has become a problem that the Trump administration needs to "correct". 

In order to implement reciprocal tariff policies, the United States will conduct a rigorous assessment of each foreign trade partner, including tariff levels, unfair taxes, cost effects on U.S. businesses and consumers, exchange rate movements, and other unfair policies determined by the Office of the United States Trade Representative.  As one of the major trading partners of the United States, India's tariff level has obviously become the focus of the Trump administration. 

Trump stressed that although the reciprocal tariff policy may lead to higher prices of American goods, it will bring more job opportunities to Americans.  He believes that by implementing this policy, trading partners can be forced to lower tariff barriers, thereby expanding the export market for American goods and promoting the growth of the American economy. 

However, this policy has also caused widespread controversy.  Many experts and scholars pointed out that although tariff policy may bring certain economic effects in the short term, it may lead to the escalation of trade war and the turbulence of global economy in the long run.  In addition, tariff policies may also have a negative impact on consumers, raising their cost of living. For India, once the United States implements tariff policy, it will have a huge impact on India's shrimp export industry.