DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA JOURNALISM OF COURAGE FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 2025, KOLKATA, LATE CITY, 16 PAGES `6.00 (`12 IN NORTH EAST STATES, `20 IN ANDAMAN) WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM SINCE 1932 INDIAN PM A GREAT FRIEND, BUT NEW DELHI CHARGES US 52% : U.S. PRESIDENT Trump Tariffs the World India exports hit with 27% tariff, Asian peers face higher duties RAVI DUTTA MISHRA NEW DELHI, APRIL 3 US PRESIDENT Donald Trump launched the most aggressive global tariff war yet, even by his own standards set in the first term, dealing a blow to the postWorld War II liberal trade order that America helped build. He set the reciprocal tariff for India at 27 per cent, lower than many Asian rivals, but one that would impactexportingsectorssuchas gems and jewellery, and auto components. The announcements roiled marketsThursdaymorningwith the Dow industrials dropping 1,450 points, or 3.4 per cent, and the Nasdaq plunging 5.8 per cent. The turmoil didn’t stop with the stock markets; oil slid more than 6 per cent and the dollarfelltoitslowestlevelof the year dropping 2 per cent against the euro and Japanese yen. On Wednesday, Trump claimed his tariffs will “reverse the economic damage left by the previousadministration”andput America on a path to a “new golden age”. As a first step in resetting the trade order, he imposed a blanket 10 per cent tariff on all countries. He followed this upwithindividualreciprocaltariffratesonnationswithwhichthe UShasahightradedeficit,pulling globalstockindicesdownandin- In dark cloud, a few silver linings for India: Tariff level, trade talks, reforms BUSINESS AS USUAL BY UNNY ANIL SASI NEW DELHI, APRIL 3 US President Donald Trump announces the new tariffs at the White House Wednesday. AP THE EDITORIAL PAGE HOW TO TRUMP TARIFFS By SHOUMITRO CHATTERJEE AFTER THE TARIFFS Pharma gains on exemption, but gems, jewellery and auto may take a hit India must negotiate with US, pursue a more ambitious agenda for trade reform AGGAM WALIA & RAVI DUTT MISHRA creasing the odds of a US recession that could eventually slow global trade growth. Trump slapped tariffs of 1020 per cent on Western partners suchastheUKandtheEuropean Union, but his focus remained firmlyonChinaandcountriesreceiving significant Chinese THE TRUMP administration’s imposition of 27 per cent duty onimportsfromIndiaissettohit a range of sectors — from gems and jewellery and smartphones to solar photovoltaic modules and auto-components. Steel, aluminium and automobiles,onwhichTrumphadalready imposed 25 per cent tariffs earlier in March, will not PAGE 8 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 NEW DELHI, APRIL 3 attract the new reciprocal tariffs. The executive order signed by the US President on April 2 also exempts, as of now, certain critical minerals, energy products, pharmaceuticals and bullion, from US tariffs. Asmarketsreactedadversely to the sweeping tariff changes that the US announced for its trading partners, the Indian government said it is engaged with theindustryandexporterstoassess the situation and examine the implications. The Commerce and Industry Ministrysaiditwasalsoidentifying opportunities that may arise due to this new development in American trade policy. In its statement Thursday morning, the Ministry said, “The USPresidentissuedanExecutive Order on Reciprocal Tariffs, imposing additional ad valorem duties ranging from 10 per cent to 50 per cent on imports from alltradingpartners.Thebaseline duty of 10 per cent will be effective from April 5, 2025, and the remaining country-specific CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 What India needs for the road ahead NEW DELHI, APRIL 3 AS US President Donald Trump brings the curtains down on the age of globalisation, India will have to unlearn much of its approachtointernationaltradedeveloped since the early 1990s. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington in February, the government’s intense trade talks with the Trump Administration over the last few days, and its cautious response to the imposition of 27 per cent tariffs on Indian imports underline Delhi’s recognition of the dramatic shift inAmerica’sdomesticpoliticson trade,thehistoricturnintheevolution of the global economicorderandtheneed for a prudent handling of the current moment. ● At the White House Rose Garden ceremony announcing a sweeping tariff waragainstAmerica’stradepartnersWednesday,Trumpwasnot the only one who spoke. Trump E EXPLAINED C RAJA MOHAN It’s tainted beyond resolution: SC cancels appointment of over 25,000 Bengal teachers invited Brian Pannebecker, a retired auto worker from Detroit, once the heart of the world’s car production, to speak up. Pannebecker had brought along a group of 20 comrades from the United Auto Workers Union, dressed in green jackets and hard hats. Expressing full support for Trump’s tariff war, CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 PAGES 10,11, 12 US PRESIDENT Donald Trump’s announcement Wednesday of sweeping tariffs has deepened global anxiety and sent nations scrambling to respond. In the portents of dark economic clouds,thereare,asof now,three silver linings for India: Comparative advantage Tariffsworkonacomparative basis,andwhilethelevyimposed byonecountryonanotherisimportant, more consequential is the tariff rate applied on the latter’s competitors. So,whilethetariff slappedby theUSonIndiaiskey,whatcould be more important is the tariff rate proposed for, say China, Bangladesh or Vietnam. Aspertheannouncement,the US will impose a 10 per cent base tariffonallcountriesfromApril5, and an individualised reciprocal highertarifffromApril9oncountrieswithwhichWashingtonhas the largest trade deficits. In India’s case, once the first phase of the universal 10 per cent tariff takes effect on April 5, a 17 per cent tariff will kick in afterApril9,bringingthetotalduty to 27 per cent. Incidentally, as per Trump's original announcement, India's reciprocal tariff levy was 26 per cent. But the annexure to the executive order issued subsequently by the White House mentioned a 27 per cent adjusted reciprocal tariff for India. This rate of 27 per cent on India is way lower than the 34 per cent imposed on China (on topof a20percenttariff slapped CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Affected teachers listen to live-streaming of CM Mamata Banerjee’s press conference in Kolkata, Thursday. Partha Paul ANANTHAKRISHNAN G NEW DELHI, APRIL 3 THE SUPREME Court Thursday upheldtheCalcuttaHighCourtorder invalidating the West Bengal government’s2016appointment ofmorethan25,000teachersand non-teachingstaff,callingtheentireselectionprocess“taintedbeyond resolution”. The bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar called for a fresh selection process to fill the vacancies. It also fixed April 4 to independently hear an appeal by West Bengal challenging a High Court order for a CBI probe into the decision to create supernumerary posts. The bench said: “In our opinion,thisisacasewhereintheentire selection process has been vitiated and tainted beyond resolution. Manipulations and frauds on a large scale, coupled with the attempted cover-up, have dented the selection process beyond repair and partial redemption. The credibility and legitimacy of the selection are denuded”. On April 22, 2024, the Calcutta High Court had cancelled the recruitment of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff by the West Bengal School CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 Can’t accept verdict, will seek review, says Mamata ATRI MITRA KOLKATA, APRIL 3 STATINGTHATshehas"fullfaith" in the country's judiciary, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said she “cannotaccepttheverdict”of the SupremeCourtcancellingtheappointment of nearly 26,000 teachers and school staff members, and that she would for opt forlegaloptionstonullifythetop court’s order. Addressing a press conference at the state secretariat soon after the Supreme Court’s order, Banerjee said: “While I have the highest respect for the judiciary FULL COVERAGE OPP BLAMES MAMATA FOR JOB CANCELLATION PAGE 3 and judges, I cannot accept the judgment from a humanitarian point of view. As a citizen of this country, I have every right to an opinion. I respect the judge and the judiciary, but I can't agree with the judgment.” A Supreme Court bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv KhannaandJusticeSanjayKumar CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 Supreme Court judges to MODI UNDERLINES ‘FREE, OPEN’ INDO-PACIFIC In first face-off with L-G, Omar writes to MHA transfer of officials make their assets public India, Thailand plan: Strategic NAVEED IQBAL SRINAGAR, APRIL 3 INTHEfirstseriousescalationbetween the Jammu and Kashmir governmentandtheRajBhawan, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has shot off letters to Chief SecretaryAtalDulloo,Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and UnionHomeMinisterAmitShah overthetransferof 48officialsof the Jammu and Kashmir AdministrativeService(JKAS)on April 1. Sources told The Indian Express that the government has termed the transfers as “illegal”, and not approved by the “competent authority” which is the Chief Minister’sOffice.Thetransfers, which are seen as an attempt to take control of the bureaucracy, are Raj Bhawan’s “encroachment” upon the elected government led by the PAGE 1 ANCHOR J&K CM Omar Abdullah; L-G Manoj Sinha National Conference, says the CM’s missive. Additionally, sources said that since the transfers pertain toseveralrevenueofficialsof the UnionTerritory,theyalsofallfoul of the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019, which says such transfers need to be approved by the Council of Ministers too. This comes just ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Srinagar on April 6 and 7. Criticising the transfers, the Congress, that is part of the ruling coalition in J&K, said L-G Sinha should have awaited the approvalof businessrulesbefore announcing his decision. The NC government has been waiting for a nod from the Union Home Ministry for the business rules it framed about a month ago and senttotheL-Gforapproval,tofacilitate smooth governance without confusion. “Taking such a step was not advisable… It has sent the wrong message that everything is not well (within the administration)," Ghulam Ahmed Mir, the CLP leader and Congress national general secretary, said. This is the second time mass transfers have taken place since J&K got its first elected government post the scrapping of its special status – this was two months after Omar took over in October 2024. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 APURVA VISHWANATH & ANANTHAKRISHNAN G NEW DELHI, APRIL 3 IN A significant decision, all 31 judgesof theSupremeCourtwill publicly declare their assets, The Indian Express has learnt. The declaration made to the Chief Justice of India is likely to be uploaded on the Supreme Court website. Sourcessaidthedecisionwas taken at a full court meeting on April 1. The full court had met to consider senior advocate designations for at least six former High Court judges. CJI Sanjiv Decision after CJI Khanna proposed it at full court meeting Khannaislearnttohaveproposed the issue and he even assuaged the concerns of a few judges. While an official notification of the full court decision is awaited, it is learnt that the modalities and timeline for implementation are still being worked out. Judges could be CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 IN PARLIAMENT WAQF BILL ALL SET TO GET PARLIAMENT STAMP PAGE 4 partnership, strategic dialogue SHUBHAJIT ROY NEW DELHI, APRIL 3 AS PRIME Minister Narendra Modi met Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra in Bangkok on Thursday, the two countries agreed to upgrade their relations to a “strategic partnership”. Modi underlined that Thailand holds a special place in India's Act East Policyandits Indo-Pacificvision. Modi, who arrived in Bangkok on a two-day visit on Thursday, will attend the 6th BIMSTEC leaders’ summit on Friday. In his departure statement, Modi described BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) as a significant forum for promoting regional development, connectiv- PM Narendra Modi with Thailand PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra in Bangkok on Thursday. PTI ity and economic progress in the region. Following his meeting with Shinawatra ahead of the BIMSTECsummit,Modisaid:“Today, we have decided to strengthen our ties into a strategic partnership. Also, we discussed estab- lishing a 'strategic dialogue' between our security agencies.” A strategicdialoguebetweensecurity agencies points to the development of a strong partnership asthetwosidesdealwithcrimes and maritime security issues. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Meet Prayagraj petitioners: ‘Given two hours before homes razed’ MANISH SAHU PRAYAGRAJ, APRIL 3 A DAY after the Supreme Court termed the 2021 demolition of houses in Prayagraj as "inhuman and illegal”, Vijay Kumar Singh (46), whose home was among thosedestroyed,feltasenseofrelief.Thecourt’sacknowledgment that authorities had failed to follow due process was a longawaitedvalidationofhisstruggle. “Noonecantrulyunderstand what we went through after the demolition,” said Singh, who runs a medical store in Prayagraj’s Beniganj area. “I bought the house just nine monthsbeforeitwastorndown, andafterthat,Iwasforcedtolive on rent again.” Vijay Kumar Singh’s rented house is just 800 metres from the plot where he once owned a home — a place that now exists only in his memories. Wanting to stay close to the life he had built, he found a house in the same locality. “After the demolition, we had nowhere to go. In that moment of crisis, we took shelter at a relative’s house. A few days later, we moved into a rented home,” he said. “I had put all my savings into buying that house. Now, at 46, I am starting over, trying to rebuild from nothing.” Singh, who lives with his wife Vandana and their two young children, avoids passing by his old home. “It’s too painful,” he said. “Every time I see that place, it reminds me of everything we lost.” Singh is one of the five petitionerswhomovedtheSupreme Court against the demolition of their houses by local authorities. The site where the homes once stood. SC has ordered local authorities to pay Rs 10 lakh each to petitioners. Vishal Srivastav On Tuesday, the Supreme Court directed the Prayagraj Development Authority to compensate each affected homeowner with Rs 10 lakh within six weeks. The petitioners' lawyer had argued that the state government wrongly demolished houses, assuming the land belonged to gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed, who was shot dead in 2023. “We still don’t understand the rush to demolish our houses,” said Singh, a pharmacy diploma holder. "On Saturday (March6,2021),PDAofficialsde- livered notices instructing us to vacate. We immediately held a meeting and moved court the next day, but before an order could be passed, authorities arrived in the morning with a heavypoliceforceandbeganthe demolition. We were given just two hours to gather our belongings," Singh said, adding that the notices were deliberately timed to prevent them from securing relief from the court. ‘A moral victory’ Another petitioner, Professor Ali Ahmed Fatmi, spoke to The Indian Express over the phone. He said the judgment had brought them relief, and he was gratefultotheSupremeCourtfor acknowledgingthewrongdoing. "The compensation ordered by thecourtmaybesmall,butwhat matters is that the court recognised our pain and affirmed that the authorities acted illegally," he said. "This is not the right way to carry out a demolition — issuing a notice on the evening of March 6, 2021, and bulldozing houses the very next morning without CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Kolkata