U.S. Exempts Indian Electronics from Initial 25% Tariffs, Reprieve for Laptops and Phones
PATNA, Bihar, India – July 31, 2025: Big news for Indian electronics! The U.S. is holding off on those 25% tariffs on laptops, phones, and other tech stuff that President Trump announced on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. The other tariffs on Indian goods are still set to kick in on August 1, but this gives India’s growing electronics industry a little breathing room.
Why the Hold Up?
Basically, the U.S. is still looking into whether these electronics really affect national security. They’re doing a Section 232 investigation, and it should wrap up in a couple of weeks. While they talk, no tariffs on tech. They did something the same way before, when they put a 10% duty on things before.
What’s with the Tariffs Anyway?
Trump said on Truth Social that he would put a 25% tariff on Indian imports, which will start on August 1, and perhaps more penalties, because India keeps buying military stuff and oil from Russia. He also complained about India’s high tariffs and other tricky trade barriers. Nobody is sure just how the 25% tariff is applied with the initial 10% duty from April.
Who Wins (and Loses)?
This break is good for companies like Apple, which is making more and more iPhones in India. They want to produce 60 million iPhones here this year. CEO Tim Cook said that all iPhones for the U.S. in the past quarter were shipped from India. If the 25% tariff eventually hits electronics, it could mess with Apple’s plans.
India’s the Place to Be for Electronics
India’s getting to be a huge maker of electronics. It is better than China and Vietnam. It’s now the biggest exporter of smartphones to the U.S. . It makes up 44% of all imports there. It’s low cost to make goods here; assembling an iPhone costs around $30. Even with a 25% tariff, it would only go up to $37.50. It costs the same iPhone around $390 to manufacture in the US!
What’s Next?
While India’s electronics are safe for now, nobody knows what will happen after the Section 232 investigation is complete. These new tariffs and trade talks are happening when Indian manufacturers are already stressed because China is limiting exports on key parts. Experts are saying that India needs to keep making a better market in the country and sell to many countries to avoid issues in the future.
