US tech access secured, 100% tariff threat & more
Today’s briefing covers a major US guarantee on technology access for India, a new 100% tariff threat from President Trump targeting digital taxes, and US sanctions against an Indian entity.
Indian tech firms and researchers can now plan long-term projects with more certainty following a US guarantee that granted technology access will not be revoked. IT Secretary S Krishnan confirmed the assurance, which is intended to stabilize bilateral trade and prevent sudden disruptions to critical industrial and research partnerships between the two nations.
Indian exporters face a massive potential cost increase after US President Donald Trump threatened to impose 100% tariffs on any country that taxes US digital firms. This move targets "digital services taxes," which India and several other nations use to collect revenue from multinational tech giants; if implemented, the tariffs could make Indian goods significantly more expensive in the US market.
An Indian national and a Chhattisgarh-based explosives manufacturer are among eight entities recently sanctioned by the US for their alleged roles in the Sudan civil war. These sanctions generally block those named from accessing the US financial system and can severely disrupt their ability to conduct international business or banking.
Indian citizens living in the US or holding US citizenship will soon see a design change to their travel documents as President Trump unveiled a new US passport. The updated version features his image and marks the 250th anniversary of American independence.
For more on these stories and others, including the rising death toll from earthquakes in Venezuela and a new trilateral border deal between the US, Israel, and Lebanon, visit the app’s News section.