Trump Tariffs Hit India's Textile Industry: Tamil Nadu: Dalit Workers Will Pay the Price for Trump Tariffs
In India's largest textile manufacturing hub, 60% of factory workers come from scheduled caste groups. The 50% tariff imposed by the United States puts Indian manufacturers at a disadvantage compared to competitors such as Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Cambodia, which have lower tariffs. For Chief Minister Stalin, up to three million jobs are at risk.
New Delhi (Asia News) – Chief Minister Stalin of Tamil Nadu wrote a letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing concerns about the 50% tariff imposed by the Trump administration on India, which came into effect yesterday.
Stalin pointed out that in his state, which is India's main textile center, Dalit workers will bear the heaviest cost. The Dalit community has historically been regarded as "untouchables" in Indian society and have long been marginalized. According to Stalin, they make up about 60% of the labor force in the garment industry. He said that up to three million jobs in the textile and garment industries in the state are directly at risk.
Tiruppur is a region in Tamil Nadu, the largest knitting garment manufacturing and export center in India, employing a large number of workers from economically disadvantaged families.
Overall, the United States remains India's largest clothing export market, accounting for one-third of India's total clothing exports.
The textile and apparel industry is the second-largest employer in India after agriculture, and is now struggling due to the uncertainty caused by the Trump administration's tariff policy.
Exporters have suspended shipments to the United States or are fulfilling orders at a loss. Meanwhile, American retail giants such as Walmart, Target, Amazon, TJX Companies, Kohl's, Gap Inc., and H&M have asked Indian suppliers to freeze shipments until the tariff policy becomes clear.
Currently, India is at a competitive disadvantage in the U.S. market because Bangladesh and Vietnam have tariffs of 20%, Indonesia and Cambodia have 19%, while India has as high as 50%.
In the village of Arappalayam in Tiruppur, the Catholic Adi Dravidas community among the Dalits makes up nearly a quarter of the local population.
In another village in Tiruppur, Mannapalayam, most workers (39%) are Dalits, especially the local scheduled caste group, the Arunthathiyars, as well as migrants from other communities.
Sources: Asia News
Author: Nirmala Carvalho
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1841749672447043/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself