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U.S.–India trade-policy changes can alter the duties due on a shipment, but they do not create one tariff rate that applies to every product from India. A February 2026 framework announced an 18% reciprocal tariff rate for originating Indian goods; a later order ended specified IEEPA additional duties, and a separate 10% surcharge had a stated end date of July 24, 2026. As of October 7, 2026, the official materials reviewed here do not establish that surcharge was extended. To estimate a shipment’s costs, use its exact HTS classification, origin, customs value and customs entry date, then check the tariff provisions and any other measures in force for that entry.
What changed, and what those announcements mean now
The February 2026 U.S.–India framework and the later U.S. tariff actions are different things. The framework described intended terms; subsequent legal actions changed which additional duties were to be collected. The dates matter because tariff measures apply according to their legal terms and the entry date—not simply when a buyer placed an order or a supplier shipped goods.
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| Date | Action | Import-cost significance |
|---|---|---|
| February 6, 2026 | The joint statement announced an 18% U.S. reciprocal tariff rate under Executive Order 14257 for originating Indian goods, with named examples including textiles and apparel, leather and footwear, plastics and rubber, organic chemicals, home décor, artisanal goods and certain machinery. It also described contemplated removal of reciprocal tariffs on a wide range of goods, including generic pharmaceuticals, gems and diamonds, and aircraft parts, subject to successful conclusion of the Interim Agreement. | This was a framework for an Interim Agreement, with conditional language. It is not by itself proof that contemplated exemptions took effect or that 18% remains a current blanket rate. Read the joint statement. |
| February 9, 2026 | A White House fact sheet described the President’s agreement to remove an additional 25% tariff on Indian imports and lower the reciprocal tariff from 25% to 18%, while saying the countries would implement the framework in coming weeks and continue negotiations. | This is a dated summary of the announcement, not evidence that every planned change remained in effect later. Read the fact sheet. |
| February 20, 2026 | Executive Order 14389 ended the additional ad valorem duties imposed under specified IEEPA orders, including the April 2025 reciprocal-tariff order, directing that they no longer be in effect and should no longer be collected as soon as practicable. | The order says it does not affect other duties, including Section 232 and Section 301 duties, and does not affect the separate temporary surcharge proclamation. The February framework’s 18% figure should therefore not be treated as a current across-the-board rate. Read Executive Order 14389. |
| February 24–July 24, 2026 | A separate proclamation imposed a 10% ad valorem import surcharge for 150 days beginning February 24, with listed exceptions. It specified that the surcharge would continue through 12:01 a.m. EDT on July 24 unless earlier suspended, modified or terminated, or extended by an Act of Congress. | The official materials reviewed do not establish an extension beyond the stated end date. Do not include this surcharge in a current estimate without confirming the rules for the shipment’s entry date. Read the proclamation. |
USTR’s tariff-actions index continues to list the surcharge proclamation, but an index listing is not proof of an extension. Check the current tariff provisions and later official actions rather than inferring that a measure remains active from the listing alone. View USTR’s tariff-actions index.
How a policy change reaches your import bill
Classification sets the starting point
The product’s Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) classification determines its tariff line and ordinary duty treatment; a general description such as “goods from India” is not enough to identify the rate. Product specifications matter when determining which classification applies. USITC maintains the U.S. HTS and an online tariff database, while USTR says U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is solely authorized to interpret the HTS and issue legally binding classification rulings or advice on import classification and treatment. Use USTR’s HTS guidance to find the tariff resources and CBP guidance.
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Origin is not the same as the seller’s location
The joint statement says the countries will establish rules of origin so agreement benefits accrue predominantly to the United States and India. A supplier’s location or the route a shipment takes should not, on its own, be treated as proof of origin. Confirm the origin rules relevant to the product and measure, and retain the supporting documentation. The joint statement describes the planned rules-of-origin work.
The customs entry date controls which rules to check
The executive order and surcharge proclamation specify effective dates tied to goods entered for consumption or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption. Compare the applicable tariff provisions with the actual customs entry date. A purchase order date, payment date or vessel departure date does not substitute for that check. See Executive Order 14389 and the surcharge proclamation.
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Other duties and exceptions may still matter
The end of specified IEEPA duties did not eliminate all U.S. import duties. Executive Order 14389 expressly preserves other duties, including Section 232 and Section 301 measures. The temporary-surcharge proclamation also listed exceptions and said the surcharge would not be added on top of Section 232 tariffs on the same portion of an import. Which provisions apply depends on the specific product and entry date, so check for overlapping measures and product-specific exceptions rather than adding headline rates together automatically. Executive Order 14389; temporary surcharge proclamation.
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Build a shipment-level estimate
Once the classification, origin, customs value, entry date and applicable measures have been verified, calculate the duty under the rate structure shown for the tariff line. For an applicable ad valorem duty, the basic calculation is customs value multiplied by the applicable rate. Do not apply a percentage formula to a duty that is not ad valorem, or assume that a framework rate is the applicable rate for a shipment.
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- Identify the product precisely. Record its materials, construction, function and other details needed to determine its HTS classification. Look up the current HTS and tariff database using USTR’s HTS guidance.
- Confirm origin and records. Determine the product’s origin under the rules applicable to the measure and gather the supporting documents. Do not infer origin solely from the seller or shipping route. The joint statement describes rules of origin as part of the framework.
- Use the customs value and entry date. Apply the tariff provisions that govern the shipment’s actual entry for consumption or withdrawal from warehouse for consumption—not merely its order or shipment date. The effective-date language appears in the executive order and proclamation.
- Check every relevant measure and exception. Review ordinary tariff treatment, any additional duties, applicable exceptions and the rules on overlapping measures. Do not assume that ending one tariff authority ended all duties.
- Compare complete sourcing scenarios. Model the verified duty treatment alongside supplier pricing, shipping cost, lead time and continuity risk. Treat any supplier price adjustment or pass-through of duty costs as a scenario to test, not as a fixed percentage established by these policy documents.
There is no universal total-cost percentage in the official materials reviewed, and they do not quantify how much of a duty a supplier will pass through to a buyer. Keep estimates tied to the specific product and shipment assumptions used.
Compare sourcing options on more than tariff rates
For each feasible source, keep the product specification constant and compare the factors below. A lower duty rate alone does not establish the lowest landed cost.
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| Comparison factor | What to verify |
|---|---|
| Classification and ordinary duty | Exact HTS line, product description and ordinary tariff treatment; ask CBP for a binding ruling or advice if classification is uncertain. USTR HTS guidance. |
| Origin and documentation | Applicable origin rules and evidence supporting the claimed origin; do not rely solely on routing or seller address. Joint statement. |
| Additional measures and exceptions | Measures that apply on the customs entry date, their scope, any exception and whether an overlap rule affects the calculation. Executive Order 14389; surcharge proclamation. |
| Value and resulting duty | Customs value and the duty calculation under the tariff line’s rate structure. The policy announcements do not establish a universal landed-cost percentage. |
| Commercial and logistics terms | Supplier price, any proposed price adjustment, shipping cost, lead time and continuity risk; these factors are not quantified by the policy announcements. |
Keep the bilateral framework in the right context
The framework also described intended Indian tariff reductions on U.S. industrial and selected agricultural products and actions on certain barriers. Those are India-side market-access commitments relevant to U.S. goods entering India; they are not U.S. import duties on Indian-origin goods. USTR’s 2026 trade policy report says the two countries “will work towards finalizing the Interim Agreement with a view to concluding a mutually beneficial BTA,” which underscores that the framework and completed implementation are distinct. Read USTR’s 2026 Trade Policy Agenda and 2025 Annual Report.
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The scale of trade is useful context, not a measure of an individual importer’s exposure: USTR’s 2026 India profile reports $103.8 billion in U.S. goods imports from India in 2025 and $45.4 billion in U.S. goods exports to India in 2025. Neither figure indicates the duty a particular company owes or its potential savings. See USTR’s India profile.
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Where to verify a classification or tariff treatment
Start with the current HTS and U.S. tariff database via USTR’s HTS guidance. If the product’s classification or treatment is uncertain, consult CBP resources or seek a binding ruling. Recheck the applicable executive orders, proclamations, Federal Register notices and HTS revisions for the planned customs entry date. USTR and USITC tariff resources can help locate information, but CBP—not USTR or USITC—is the authority identified for binding classification rulings or advice.
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