| 

Is India ready to be the next China?

The tariff is a blunt instrument, and textiles are its blunt-force victim. Home textiles and apparel—traditionally India’s strongest US plays—now confront either margin compression or order deferrals. Ratings agency CRISIL (Credit Rating Information Services of India) has warned of a *-** per cent revenue decline for home-textile exporters this year if the levy persists, a number that underlines how tightly Panipat, Tiruppur and other clusters are tied to US demand cycles.

The political signalling from Washington is clear—even US commentary concedes that the move strains ties. For Indian boards and planners, the challenge is more practical. Repricing programmes, diversifying lanes and finding ways for domestic demand to shoulder more of the load.