Foreign affairs experts have expressed significant concern over the decision by the Donald Trump administration to impose reciprocal tariffs on India, starting April 2.

Former diplomat KP Fabian described this move as a "foolish endeavour" that will not only affect India but also disturb the global trade structure.

Fabian emphasized that such actions will lead to retaliatory tariffs from other countries, potentially causing a decline in world trade. He also highlighted the economic implications, noting that inflation is rising and stock markets are declining in the US, questioning whether this is Trump's strategy for making America great again.

Another expert, Robinder Sachdev, while acknowledging that Trump's principle of imposing reciprocal tariffs has merit, criticized the practical implications.

Sachdev noted that this approach will disrupt trade structures and could severely impact India's steel and aluminium exports, potentially reducing them by 30-50% if tariffs are increased. He also pointed out that Trump's strategy aims to lower oil prices and reduce transport costs to combat inflation in the US.

Trump's announcement comes after he criticized India and other countries for imposing high tariffs on US goods, particularly highlighting India's auto tariffs exceeding 100%.

The reciprocal tariffs are part of Trump's broader effort to address what he perceives as unfair trade practices by other nations. Despite ongoing negotiations for a trade deal between India and the US, Trump made it clear that India would not receive special treatment under these new tariffs.

ANI