The United States placed India in a lower 10 per cent tariff category, after the country was initially considered for a steeper 12.5 per cent rate. The lower rate followed what officials called constructive talks with Washington on labour practices. The USTR said the 10 per cent rate applies to economies that either ban forced labour imports, have committed to doing so through a reciprocal trade agreement, or have a partial ban already in place. The countries in this band include Argentina, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, and the UK, according to the USTR statement.
