# Parliament panel seeks US tariff exemptions for medicines, phones

2026-08-06T18:16:42+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 1 independent outlet

A Rajya Sabha commerce committee has urged the government to conclude the proposed India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement quickly, while protecting Indian exporters. It recommended seeking complete exemption from future US tariff increases for generic medicines, critical minerals and smartphones. The report was tabled in Parliament on Thursday. The panel also proposed a dedicated Directorate General of Foreign Trade watch desk to track US Customs changes and alert exporters in real time. It sought a roadmap for $500 billion in bilateral trade by 2030, faster agreements to tackle non-tariff barriers and measures to support MSMEs. Rediff reports that tariffs on Indian goods currently stand at 18 per cent, a figure not cited by The Hindu BusinessLine.

## Coverage

- thehindubusinessline.com <https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/parl-panel-calls-for-tariff-exemptions-for-pharma-smartphones-in-india-us-trade-pact/article71314478.ece>
- rediff.com <https://www.rediff.com/business/report/india-us-bilateral-trade-agreement-parliamentary-panel-urges-early-conclusion-tariff-exemptions/20260807.htm>

Tags: DGFT, India-US trade, pharmaceuticals, smartphones, Tariffs
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