Customs regimes can lead to labyrinthine legal disputes. Budget 2026 must recognise that an excessively defensive Customs posture can itself become a trade barrier, point out Mukesh Butani and Shankey Agrawal.
US border patrol agents have arrested 30 Indian nationals, living illegally in America, operating semitrucks with commercial driver's licenses. The arrests were part of a larger operation targeting illegal immigrants operating commercial vehicles.
Under an Executive Order issued by the US administration on July 30, 2025, goods valued above USD 100 will be subject to customs duties in America with effect from August 29 onwards.
The US Department of State highlighted a mission-defining challenge during External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's visit in November amid the US government shutdown, detailing the security measures taken to ensure his protection.
"The postal tariffs will remain unchanged, ensuring that exporters continue to benefit from affordable international delivery rates while complying with the revised US import requirements. This measure has been introduced to maintain affordability, support MSMEs, and boost India's exports through the postal channel," India Post said.
'Uncertainty level A in the morning, uncertainty level B in the afternoon. If I answer about tariff rates now, I'll be outdated by the evening.'
The Indian government reveals that the United States has deported over 18,000 Indian nationals since 2009, with a focus on human trafficking investigations and concerns over the treatment of deportees.
India Post has suspended all mail operations to the US due to a lack of clarity regarding new customs regulations imposed by the US Customs Department. The suspension affects all categories of mail, including letters, documents, and gift items.
India's $280-billion IT industry heads into 2026, balancing visa-related headwinds and global trade uncertainty against its biggest-ever push into artificial intelligence and the rapid expansion of global capability centres (GCCs). Heightened scrutiny of the US H-1B visa programme - including a proposed $100,000 fee for new visas and concerns over a potential 25 per cent outsourcing tax - has complicated cross-border delivery for Indian firms, even as companies accelerate efforts to reduce reliance on onsite staffing.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in a 'H-1B FAQ' document, released on Sunday, said that the September 19 proclamation took an "important, initial, and incremental step" to reform the H-1B visa programme to curb abuses and protect American workers.
The matter has now been escalated and the ministry has written to Customs, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) to investigate it thoroughly.
Meta has announced new anti-scam features and awareness initiatives, including safety tools and tips to protect users, particularly senior citizens from cyber fraud and online scams, as the social media giant stepped up efforts to help people stay safe online.
From 12:01 am eastern daylight time on August 27, 2025, higher tariffs will apply to all products of India that are either entered for consumption in the United States or withdrawn from warehouses for consumption.
Despite relatively smaller Indian populations in cities like Seattle and Buffalo, the proportion of Indian nationals detained in these locations remains disproportionately high.
As the 50 per cent US tariffs on the Indian imports came into effect on Wednesday, the stakeholders of the diamond industry in Surat believe that the market will be affected due to US' decision only for a short period of time as India controls 90% of diamond production.
On Monday, June 9, 2025, the Trump administration sent US Marines to Los Angeles and increased raids on suspected undocumented immigrants, causing anger among protesters and Democratic leaders who fear a national crisis.
The country's largest lender State Bank of India on Wednesday announced the completion of the divestment of about 13.18 per cent stake in Yes Bank to Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation of Japan for Rs 8,888.97 crore. State Bank of India (SBI) has received Rs 8,888.97 crore from the acquirer Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), a Japanese multinational financial services company belonging to the Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG), the bank said in a regulatory filing.
A deep dive into Trump's new policy and what it means for Indian professionals and companies.
'The steel industry has a multiplier effect on direct and indirect employment, national security on the supply chain, technology access etc.'
'Even if tariffs are reduced, non-tariff may still remain a challenge.'
US President Donald Trump has imposed tariffs and a travel ban on Colombia after the South American nation refused to accept two American military planes deporting undocumented Colombians. The move comes after President Trump announced mass deportations of illegal immigrants and warned countries of consequences if they refuse to accept them. Colombian President Gustavo Petro, in a post on X, said that the US cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals and denied the entry of American planes carrying Colombian migrants into Colombian territory. Trump responded by imposing a 25% tariff on all goods coming into the US, a travel ban and immediate visa revocations on Colombian government officials, and visa sanctions on all party members, family members and supporters of the Colombian government. The US also announced enhanced customs and border protection inspections of all Colombian nationals and cargo on national security grounds. In retaliation, Colombia announced a 25% import tariff on American products.
Law enforcement officials from the US Department of Homeland Security have started visiting gurdwaras in New York and New Jersey to check for the presence of illegal immigrants, drawing a sharp reaction from some Sikh organisations which see such actions as a threat to the sanctity of their faith. The Trump administration has rescinded the Biden administration's guidelines that protected places of worship from immigration enforcement actions, leading to concerns that gurdwaras are being targeted. Sikh organisations argue that gurdwaras are not just places of worship but also vital community centres and that surveillance and raids by armed law enforcement would burden religious exercise and limit the ability of Sikhs to gather and associate with one another.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has asked Indian students in the US to comply with American laws following the detention of a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University and the self-deportation of another student to Canada. The MEA spokesperson said that the two Indians did not reach out to Indian missions in the US for assistance. Badar Khan Suri, the postdoctoral fellow, was detained on charges of "actively spreading Hamas propaganda." Ranjani Srinivasan, a student at Columbia University, self-deported to Canada after her visa was revoked for allegedly "advocating for violence and terrorism" and involvement in activities supporting Hamas. The MEA spokesperson also said that India is keen to bolster educational ties with the US.
Ranjani Srinivasan, an Indian student at Columbia University, has left the United States after her student visa was revoked over allegations of supporting Hamas. Srinivasan, a PhD student in Urban Planning, claims her visa was revoked for engaging in protected political speech. The Trump administration has been accused of targeting pro-Palestinian demonstrators through the use of federal immigration powers, and this case has drawn attention to the potential for free speech suppression in the United States.
Indians have topped the number of illegal immigrants from Asian countries caught at land, sea, and air checkpoints of the US since 2022.
Ranjani Srinivasan, a citizen and national of India, entered the United States on a F-1 student visa as a doctoral student in Urban Planning at Columbia University, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement on Friday. It added that Srinivasan was "involved in activities supporting" Hamas, a terrorist organisation.
The Congress on Wednesday expressed sadness over 'pictures of Indians getting handcuffed and humiliated' while being deported from the United States and recalled that America had to express regret over the treatment meted out to India diplomat Devyani Khobragade in 2013 after the then United Progressive Alliance government retaliated sharply.
Two Indian nationals were among five persons arrested by United States border authorities after they were apprehended for illegally crossing into the country from Canada by boat.
Badar Khan Suri, an Indian postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University, is facing deportation after US authorities accused him of "spreading Hamas propaganda" and having "close connections to a suspected terrorist." The Department of Homeland Security claims Suri has been actively promoting antisemitism on social media and is connected to a senior Hamas advisor. Suri's lawyer, Hassan Ahmad, argues that his client is being targeted due to his wife's Palestinian heritage and their opposition to US foreign policy towards Israel. The incident follows the self-deportation of another Indian student from Columbia University who was also accused of supporting Hamas.
In his petition, Suri's lawyer said that he is being punished as his wife, who is a US citizen, is of Palestinian heritage and because the government suspects that he and his wife are against the US foreign policy towards Israel.
India has expressed concern to the US authorities over the treatment of deportees on a flight that landed on February 5, particularly with respect to the use of shackles, especially on women. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has also registered its concerns regarding the need to accommodate the religious sensitivities and food preferences of the deportees. The US side has confirmed that no women or children were restrained on the deportation flights that landed in India on 15th and 16th February, 2025.
'Prime Minister Modi should sit with Trump and find a solution to this issue.'
European Union (EU) companies operating in India want New Delhi to streamline or remove non-tariff barriers such as Quality Control Orders (QCOs), complex Customs procedures; simplify labelling, testing, and import procedures; and facilitate cross-border digital transactions without data localisation constraints. These are results of a Business Sentiment Survey, 2025 conducted by the Federation of European Business in India (FEBI) ahead of resumption of negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) between both the sides scheduled to be concluded by year-end.
The US Trade Representative noted that India's average applied tariff rate stood at 17% per cent, the highest of any major world economy.
The Manitoba Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) on Thursday said that the bodies of four people -- two adults, a teen and an infant -- were found on the Canadian side of the US-Canada border near Emerson.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday asked banks and other financial institutions to ensure that their customers must update nominees to help resolve the problem of unclaimed money in future. "I want the banking system, the financial ecosystem including the mutual funds, stock markets to keep in mind that when someone deals with his (customer's) money, the organisations will have to think about the future and ensure that customers nominate their heirs, give the name and address," Sitharaman said speaking at the Global Fintech Fest (GFF) in Mumbai. According to a report, the banking system alone has more than Rs 35,000 crore of unclaimed deposits, while the overall quantum of the unclaimed money is said to be more than Rs 1 lakh crore.
'Our missions do not have any reliable data on the number of Indians staying or working illegally in foreign countries,' the MEA says.
Thousands of travelers began to fly in and out of mainland China as Beijing removed almost all of its border restrictions.
The number of cyberfraud cases has skyrocketed from 2,677 in 1999-2000 to 29,082 in FY24 -- more than a 10-fold increase. The RBI pegs digital payment frauds at Rs 1,457 crore in FY24, up more than five times in a year. It's not just the number of frauds. What's alarming is the growing sophistication of the fraudsters, exposing the vulnerabilities within the financial system, observes Tamal Bandyopadhyay.
The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), ahead of the holiday shopping season, warned consumers to be extra diligent while shopping online for children's toys after the recent seizure of toys that were coated in unsafe levels of lead, cadmium and barium.
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