Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariff: India at 27%, but where does Pakistan stand?

Asian nations have been the hardest hit by Trump's latest tariff move. The new duties aim to cut the US trade deficit and change global supply chains.

(News Agency)-US President Donald Trump announced a fresh wave of tariffs on Wednesday, calling it the 'Liberation Day' for the US trade. While India faces a 27% tariff, Pakistan’s position in this new tariff war is also drawing attention. The country is now being subjected to a 29% tariff on exports coming into the US.
Trump justified the imposition of reciprocal tariffs by arguing that this was needed in order to fix trade imbalances and provide equitable treatment for American products.
For years, Trump has pushed for changes in global trade policies, arguing that other nations impose high tariffs on US goods while benefiting from lower tariffs in return. He explained that Pakistan has been charging a 58% tariff on American goods, prompting the US to respond with its own 29% duty.
The US is one of Pakistan’s biggest trading partners. In 2023, Pakistan exported goods worth $5.18 billion to the US, while American exports to Pakistan stood at $1.71 billion, according to a report from The Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC).
ASIAN NATIONS HIT WITH STEEPEST TARIFFS
Asian nations have been the hardest hit by Trump’s latest tariff move. The new duties aim to cut the US trade deficit and change global supply chains. Besides China, which now faces a total tariff of 54%, Vietnam has been slapped with 46%, Thailand with 37%, South Korea with 25%, and India with 27%.
Over the years, many companies shifted production from China to countries like Vietnam, Thailand, and India to avoid previous US tariffs and reduce reliance on China. However, it now seems that the US is targeting these alternative manufacturing hubs too.
Meanwhile, Trump’s new policy sets a baseline tariff of 10% on all imports, with even higher rates for countries he believes have unfair trade practices. The White House has announced that the 10% tariff will take effect on April 5, while the higher duties for specific nations will begin on April 9.