Figures from the Directorate Common of Civil Aviation (DGCA) present that India shipped 4,319 tonnes of products to the US between January and June 2025, a pointy decline from 7,152 tonnes throughout the identical interval final yr. Even on the top of the pandemic, freight volumes stayed between 5,000 and 9,000 tonnes, the info revealed. The final comparable dip occurred in 2016, when the figures hit 3,750 tonnes.
Business specialists say the tariff surge has crippled demand and compelled exporters to shrink order sizes drastically. Members of the Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations in India (FFFAI) famous that exporters are struggling to remain afloat amid larger prices and lowered purchaser curiosity.
“When Trump took workplace, tariff charges initially rose by 25%. It later shot up by 50%, severely affecting key export segments. Handicrafts, certainly one of India's main exports to the US, have taken a extreme beating,” stated Rajesh Verma, vice-chairman of FFFAI, in feedback to TOI.
A Punjab-based dealer advised the publication that he has been compelled to chop day by day shipments of engineering instruments from 30 orders to round 10-12, with “only a handful of consumers keen to buy more and more costly items.”
Sellers in gems and jewelry, textiles, readymade attire, and perishable items—which make up a significant portion of India's air freight to the US—have been among the many hardest hit.“Though prescribed drugs have largely been spared for now, merchandise like clothes, diamonds, and engineering instruments have been hit laborious. Merchandise that value $100 earlier at the moment are priced at roughly $150. Extra restrictions imposed by US authorities have slowed clearances and affected commerce volumes,” stated S. Anil Kumar, president of the Hyderabad Customs Brokers' Affiliation, as quoted by TOI.(With inputs from TOI)
