India has one of the highest average tariffs in the world, with a weighted average of 12% and an applied average around 10%, said financial journalist Amiti Sen.
Amid the global trade tensions of 2025, driven by high reciprocal tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, Sen delivered a series of lectures for the ACJ-Bloomberg business and financial journalists. She spoke on the significance of trade deals and tariffs for economic growth, explained tariff structures, and outlined India’s free trade agreements history and the current global trade strategy.
Sen detailed how the U.S.’s new tariff policies disrupted global supply chains and affected Indian exports of goods and services. She also reviewed India’s free trade agreement record under the UPA and NDA governments and the diplomatic efforts required to negotiate such treaties. She emphasized the role of “Rules of Origin” in comprehensive economic agreements and identified India’s key trade partners under its current strategy.
Sen, an alumnus of the University of Delhi, Annamalai University, and the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Delhi, is currently an associate editor at The Hindu BusinessLine, covering the Ministry of External Affairs and global trade developments. She also hosts the podcast State of the Economy on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.