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From almonds to alcohol: what gets cheaper after India–US tariff cuts
INDIA: From almonds to alcohol, American imports are about to get easier on the Indian wallet. India and the United States have agreed on a framework for an interim trade deal that will slash tariffs on a swathe of US food and agricultural products, while offering Washington reciprocal access to Indian exports.
Under the proposed pact, India will eliminate or reduce duties on products ranging from animal feed and grains to fruit, oils and spirits. Items set to become cheaper include dried distillers’ grains, red sorghum, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, soybean oil, and wine and spirits: categories long flagged by US exporters as over-taxed.
Beyond tariffs, India has agreed to tackle non-tariff barriers affecting US shipments of medical devices, information and communication technology goods, and food and agricultural products, a persistent irritant in bilateral trade talks.
The US, in turn, will lower tariffs on Indian-origin goods from as high as 50 per cent to a reciprocal rate of 18 per cent. The cuts apply to sectors including textiles, apparel, leather, footwear, plastics, chemicals, home décor and selected machinery. The higher duties had been imposed after earlier negotiations stalled, amid USA’s criticism of India’s oil purchases from Russia.
If the interim deal is concluded, the tariff rollback could widen further. Indian officials see scope for expanded access for generic pharmaceuticals, gems and diamonds, and aircraft parts: sectors where India has long sought relief.
Trade concessions are being paired with big-ticket buying. India has signalled plans to purchase $500 billion worth of US energy products, aircraft, precious metals, technology goods and coking coal over the next five years, underscoring the commercial heft behind the diplomatic reset.
The agreement also lays groundwork for cooperation on supply-chain resilience and digital trade, alongside the creation of “rules of origin” designed to ensure benefits accrue primarily to India and the US, rather than third countries routing exports through them.
The framework marks a thaw after a bruising phase in ties. The US had imposed a 25 per cent punitive tariff on Indian goods, which President Donald Trump recently lifted via executive order. The interim pact now serves as a bridge towards a broader bilateral trade agreement first floated by prime minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump in February 2025.
Brands
Devika Prabhu returns to Spni as business head for Hindi movies
Former Disney executive comes full circle to lead Sony’s Hindi movie channels
MUMBAI: Devika Prabhu has come full circle in her media career. She has been appointed business head for Hindi movies at Sony Pictures Networks India, returning to a network where she once worked earlier in her journey.
Prabhu announced the move while reflecting on how careers often loop back to familiar places. She joins Sony Pictures Networks India after nearly 18 years at The Walt Disney Company, where she held several senior leadership roles across content, marketing and business strategy.
Most recently, she served as vice president and business head for kids, youth and infotainment television at Disney India. In that role, she oversaw brands such as Disney and National Geographic, managing a Rs 400 crore business while steering content strategy, partnerships and digital expansion. Her work involved leading teams across programming, acquisitions, marketing and localisation while collaborating with global stakeholders.
Before that, she headed content, marketing and product for the kids and youth television portfolio, overseeing strategy across 10 channels spanning Disney Kids, UTV Youth and UTV Hindi Movies.
Earlier in her career, Prabhu spent nearly eight years at Sony Pictures Networks India, then known as Multi Screen Media, where she worked as assistant vice president for strategic planning and research.
Her return to Sony, she said, carries a sense of familiarity and renewed purpose.
“Every story has its turning points, and sometimes journeys come full circle,” she said while announcing the move, describing the role as both a fresh start and a homecoming.
Over the past two decades, Prabhu has worked across multiple facets of the media ecosystem, from brand building and strategy to programming and franchise development. She believes movies remain one of the most powerful storytelling formats, capable of shaping culture and sparking conversations long after the credits roll.
At Sony Pictures Networks India, she will lead the Hindi movies business and work with the network’s teams to expand the reach and impact of its film channels as audiences increasingly discover cinema across multiple platforms.
For Prabhu, the move marks the start of what she calls “the next act”, one focused on bringing the magic of Hindi cinema to viewers across the country.
