News Summary: 4 April 2025

📝The United States’ reciprocal tariffs[1]

🚀 The USA announced reciprocal tariffs, ranging from 10% to 49% (10% baseline tariff + individualised reciprocal tariff), on imports from its trading partners ⇒ 27% for India (lower than other Asian and South Asian countries that are Indian rivals for exports to the U.S.) ⇒ Highest tariff (50%) on Lesotho[2]

Locate Lesotho on map✏️🗺️

👉🏽 April 2: Reciprocal tariffs announced ⇒ Dubbed as the Liberation Day for the U.S.

👉🏽 Some goods, including copper, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and lumber articles, are exempt from reciprocal tariffs.[3]

💡The U.S. accounts for over 30% of India’s gems and jewellery exports, 28.5%[4] of textile and apparel exports.

💡India is the largest seafood exporter to the U.S., with a 35%[5] market share.

💡📈 India aims to raise bilateral trade with the U.S. to $500 billion by 2030.

🤔 In what ways might the U.S.’s reciprocal tariffs influence India’s trade dynamics and economic growth? What strategic responses can India consider to safeguard its interests?

Feel free to discuss HERE.

📝 Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission[6][7]

🚀 Ax-4: A private spaceflight mission to the International Space Station (ISS) by Axiom Space ⇒ will carry astronauts from the US, India, Poland, and Hungary ⇒ focused on scientific research, technology demonstrations, and educational outreach. 

👉🏽 India’s Shubhanshu Shukla will be the pilot ⇒ will become the first Indian astronaut to the ISS and the 1st Indian to go to space in the last 40 years.

📝 Kannadippaya[8]

🚀 Kannadippaya has received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag ⇒ A unique tribal handicraft (bamboo mat) from Kerala ⇒ 1st tribal handicraft product from Kerala to receive the GI tag.

🤔What exactly is a GI tag? What special benefits come with getting this tag? Who has the authority to decide which item gets it — and can you guess what was the very first product in India to receive a GI tag?

Feel free to discuss HERE.

📝 Coastal Shipping Bill, 2024[9]

🚀 The bill provides a framework for the next 25 years of coastal economic growth under the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047To develop a coastal fleet owned and operated by Indian entities, leading to reduced dependence on foreign vessels for coastal shipping.

🚀 Key provisions: Removal of the general trading license requirement for Indian ships; Foreign vessels can engage in coastal trade only under a license issued by the Director General of Shipping; National Database of Coastal Shipping; National Coastal and Inland Shipping Strategic Plan.

👉🏽 The bill addresses gaps in the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958.

💡📈 India’s coastal cargo traffic has surged 119% in the last decade, from 74 million tonnes in 2014-15 to 162 million tonnes in 2023-24, with a target of 230 million tonnes by 2030.

📝 Waqf Amendment Bill, 2025[10][11]

🚀 The Bill aims to update the Waqf Act, 1995, to fix issues in managing Waqf properties. 

🚀 See the Key features of the bill HERE.

💡 Waqf: A permanent dedication by any person of any movable or immovable property for any purpose recognised by Muslim Law as pious, religious or charitable.

💡 Waqf properties are currently regulated by the Waqf Act of 1995, with the help of three administrative bodies:

1. Central Waqf Council: Established in 1964 under the Wakf Act, 1954 ⇒ Consists of a Chairperson + max 20 members (Union Minister of Minority Affairs is the ex-officio Chairperson) ⇒ Advises the govt and State Waqf Boards, but does not directly control Waqf properties.

2. State Waqf Boards: Manage and protect Waqf properties in each state.

3. Waqf Tribunals: Exclusive judicial bodies that handle disputes related to Waqf properties.

📝 Miscellaneous

🚀 Kancha Gachibowli: Forested area near the University of Hyderabad, Telangana protests against deforestation by the government.[12]

🚀 India and Thailand upgraded their relations to a strategic partnership.[13]


Citations

  1. India holds fire as Trump slaps tariffs
  2. African kingdom Lesotho is among those hardest hit by Trump tariffs
  3. Semiconductors escape US tariffs, easing concerns for chip industry
  4. Tariff to hit Indian engineering exports to the U.S.; textile sector sees ray of hope despite high vulnerability
  5. Indian seafood exporters get the ‘sinking’ feeling
  6. Axiom space mission: Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to fly to International Space Station in May 2025
  7. Axiom Mission 4
  8. Kannadippaya gets GI tag, anchoring tribal craft on global map
  9. Lok Sabha Passes the Coastal Shipping Bill, 2024
  10. Waqf Amendment Bill, 2025: The History of Waqf in India
  11. Background and the Statutory provision under Waqf Act
  12. Supreme Court stays clearing of 400-acre green cover near Hyderabad University, seeks report from HC registrar
  13. India, Thailand upgrade ties to strategic partnership

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