Punjab’s industry is reeling under the US-imposed 50% tariff on Indian goods, effective Wednesday, a move linked to India’s Russian oil trade. From Trident Group’s ₹3,000 crore textile exports to Jalandhar’s leather units, Ludhiana’s auto parts makers, and basmati rice traders, key sectors face a storm of shrinking exports, squeezed profits, and possible mass lay-offs.
Rajinder Gupta of Trident warned the implications would be “serious.” Jalandhar exporter Gaurav Sud said MSMEs may be forced into new, cut-throat markets abroad, while Ludhiana’s auto makers lose their edge over Chinese suppliers.
For basmati exporters, a 15–16 LMT supply glut looms, threatening prices and livelihoods. The tariff shock, exporters fear, could cripple Punjab’s already fragile industrial backbone.