Indian exporters fear ‘washout’ of US orders as elusive trade deal prolongs tariff pain

Indian exporters of products ranging from home decor to leather shoes are worried about missing the US summer shopping season if they are unable to lock in orders in January as trade deal talks drag on between New Delhi and Washington. This will be the decisive month for sealing the trade pact so contracts can be secured for the first half of 2026, according to half a dozen local exporters. The punitive 50 per cent US tariffs since August already hurt the exporters’ order volumes in the...