India-US Tariff War Spurs Rethink on Trade, Strategy, and Resilience
India is navigating fresh uncertainty after the U.S. recently raised tariffs on Indian goods from 25% to 50%. While the immediate impact of this hike hits key export sectors, industry leaders say the move underscores the need for resilience and strategic adaptation for India when it comes to global trade.‘Tariff seems to be a pressure tactic’Shreyas Kumar M, Group CFO & DTO, Narayana Nethralaya Eye Hospital, says, “The tariff seems to be more of a pressurising tactic to push a more favourable Free Trade Agreement between the two nations, which is clearly understood by the Indian authorities.” He added that sufficient front-loading of export goods has already been done and he is hopeful that, by the time they are consumed, normalcy will have returned.‘Setback today, opportunity tomorrow’“The jump in tariffs from 25% to 50% forces Indian businesses to rethink export strategies and cost structures. It’s a short-term setback but a long-term opportunity—what looks like a challenge today could spark a stronger global trade position tomorrow,” said Gautam Sharma, Group CFO, Brainbees Solutions Ltd. “This move is also a reminder of the importance of Atma Nirbhar Bharat—building self-reliance, strengthening domestic manufacturing, and creating global-quality products. For CFOs, it means managing today’s risks while investing in the resilience that will keep Indian businesses future-ready, whatever global trade rules bring,” he added.
‘Important for CFO forums to become strategic platforms’
Sandeep V Dandekar, Author, Mentor and Data Centre Industry Expert, echoed the sentiment, stressing the need for honest decision-making in such testing times.“We need to cut through the clutter, politics, and optics, and focus on India’s SWOT in this situation—making both tough and soft decisions. Soft, to help affected sectors survive the jolts, and tough, to courageously address weaknesses and threats while maximising our strengths and opportunities,” he said, adding, “It won’t be easy, but countries that have emerged stronger did so by handling such challenges well. India has the potential to turn this downside into a sustainable upside and, a few years from now, look back on it as a blessing in disguise”‘Tariff war will boost “Make in India” movement’Nrupesh Mastakar, Global Head of Controlling Capability Centers, Hitachi Energy, pointed out how the situation could accelerate India’s domestic momentum. He said, ““The US tariff war has pushed Indian engineering companies to focus more on the domestic market. This shift is supported by the Goods and Services Tax (GST), which streamlines the tax system, lowers costs, and makes local manufacturing more competitive. As a result, domestic consumption is rising, giving a significant boost to the ‘Make in India’ movement.”
‘With so much at stake, CFOs and decision-makers need platforms where they can have meaningful discussions on global disruptions’
‘Important for CFO forums to become strategic platforms’Razum Rajan, Group Managing Director of Competitors View, emphasises the importance of executive dialogue during such turbulent times. “Forums like the CFO Story Club play a crucial role in providing these spaces,” he said, highlighting the upcoming CFO Story Club event in Mumbai on September 25 as an example. “With so much at stake, CFOs and decision-makers need platforms where they can have meaningful discussions on global disruptions. At the CFO Story Club, we consistently see strong engagement on issues such as tariff wars, currency risk, and trade diversification—because navigating the future effectively requires smarter, collaborative thinking,” he added.