US President Donald Trump has announced a new round of import tariffs targeting goods from around 60 countries, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and China, under a policy described by the administration as "Forced Labour Tariffs." The new measures, announced through a Federal Register notice, are scheduled to take effect on Friday.
According to the policy, imports from affected countries will face either a 10% or 12.5% tariff, depending on the category assigned by the United States. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, Malaysia, Indonesia, Argentina, and several other nations fall under the 10% tariff bracket. Meanwhile, countries including China, Israel, and Australia are among those subject to the higher 12.5% rate.
The US Trade Representative's Office said the tariffs are intended to discourage imports allegedly linked to forced labour practices. Officials argued that the United States has long prohibited products made through forced labour and believes stronger trade measures are necessary to encourage international compliance with labour rights standards.
The administration also stated that some trading partners had sufficient time to strengthen enforcement against forced labour but failed to do so, prompting Washington to introduce the new tariff framework. Certain essential commodities, including oil, natural gas, fertilisers, and selected food products, have been exempted from the additional duties.
The latest announcement follows earlier reciprocal tariffs introduced by Trump last year, many of which were later struck down by the US Supreme Court. The new tariffs are being implemented under Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974, replacing the temporary tariff arrangement that expires this week.
