Washington DC: A group of lawmakers in the United States House of Representatives has introduced a resolution seeking to terminate tariffs imposed on Indian imports under the emergency trade powers invoked by former President Donald Trump, opening a fresh congressional challenge to the executive branch’s use of national emergency authority to reshape trade policy.
The resolution, introduced by Democratic Representatives Deborah Ross, Marc Veasey and Raja Krishnamoorthi, aims to revoke the emergency declaration that enabled steep duties on a range of Indian goods. The lawmakers argue that the tariffs, which in some cases amount to a combined 50 per cent, are legally questionable, economically damaging and strategically counterproductive at a time when Washington is seeking closer ties with New Delhi.
The tariffs were imposed in two stages during Trump’s presidency using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The administration justified the move by citing trade imbalances and India’s continued energy purchases from Russia, which it argued indirectly supported Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine. Critics, however, have said the use of emergency powers in this context stretched the law beyond its intended purpose and bypassed Congress’s constitutional authority over trade.
In a joint statement, the lawmakers said the duties function as a tax on American consumers and businesses, driving up prices and disrupting supply chains that depend on Indian manufacturing. They also warned that the measures risk undermining a key strategic partnership in the Indo-Pacific, where the United States views India as a crucial counterweight to China.
Representative Ross pointed to the scale of Indian investment in several US states, including North Carolina, where Indian companies have created thousands of jobs in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, technology and advanced manufacturing. She said punitive tariffs send the wrong signal to investors and weaken the economic foundations of the bilateral relationship.
Veasey echoed those concerns, saying ordinary Americans ultimately bear the cost of higher import duties. He added that trade policy should be shaped through transparent legislative debate rather than emergency declarations that concentrate power in the White House.
Krishnamoorthi, an Indian-American lawmaker, said the tariffs were harming integrated supply chains and limiting opportunities for cooperation in critical areas such as defence production, technology and clean energy. Ending the duties, he argued, would strengthen both economies and reinforce long-term strategic alignment.
The resolution reflects growing unease in Congress over the expansive use of emergency authorities to impose trade restrictions. Lawmakers from both parties have increasingly questioned whether such powers, originally designed for national security crises, should be used to pursue broad economic objectives.
However, the measure faces an uncertain path. It must pass the House and Senate before reaching the White House, and any attempt to roll back emergency-based tariffs could face resistance from supporters of a more aggressive trade posture. Similar efforts in the past have struggled to overcome partisan divisions and executive opposition.
The move comes as US and Indian officials continue discussions aimed at easing trade tensions and exploring a broader bilateral trade framework. While both sides have emphasised the importance of the partnership, disputes over tariffs, market access and regulatory barriers have remained unresolved.
Supporters of the resolution say its passage would reaffirm Congress’s role in trade policy, provide relief to businesses and consumers, and help reset relations with India. Critics argue that emergency powers remain a necessary tool for addressing strategic and geopolitical challenges.
As the debate unfolds, the resolution has reopened broader questions about the balance of power between Congress and the presidency, and about how the United States should use trade policy in an increasingly contested global economic order.
