Hyderabad, August 21, 2025: To address the pressing issue of Trump-era tariffs impacting Indian exports, the Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FTCCI) organised a roundtable on “Navigating Trade Headwinds: US Tariff Impact on Telangana Exporters” on Wednesday till late evening at Federation House, Red Hills, Hyderabad.
The event saw participation from over 35 exporters across diverse sectors such as textiles, quartz, gems & jewellery, chemicals, engineering goods, and agriculture. Notable attendees included: Mr. Mahesh Desai, Past Chairman, EEPC (Engineering Export Promotion Council); Manoj Kasyap, Executive Director, Mahi Granites; D. Pedda Swamy, Business Development Manager, APEDA; Kamal Jain, Chairman, Logistics & Shipping Committee, FTCCI; Mr. Vineet Darda, Co-founder, Darda Advisors LLP; Prashanth, Head of Business Development, SAM Agritech Ltd; I.N. Shetty, GM, Ravi Foods; Abhinva Reddy, Wellspun …and many others from Telangana’s export ecosystem.
Mr. Madhukar Babu, Joint Director (MSME), Commissioner of Industries, Government of Telangana, was the chief guest. Addressing the gathering, he encouraged exporters to “build on your inherent strengths” and look beyond traditional markets like the USA. Drawing comparisons from the success stories of Hero Motors and Bajaj in Africa, he urged businesses to research and target new geographies.
He assured exporters that all feedback from the roundtable will be conveyed to the Government of Telangana, especially regarding logistical challenges. He also mentioned that the state’s Logistics Policy is ready, with guidelines under development, and exporter inputs will be incorporated.
Mr. R. Ravi Kumar, President, FTCCI, emphasised the importance of strategic preparedness. Today it is the USA; tomorrow, it could be another country. We must build resilience into our export operations.
Mr. AVPS Chakravarthy, Chairman of FTCCI’s International Trade Committee, highlighted the broader economic implications of the tariffs. He noted: The U.S. accounts for 18% of India’s exports and supports 2.2% of GDP. Sectors such as chemicals, rice, textiles, engineering goods, and gems & jewellery are heavily impacted. For example, Indian textiles are now 35% costlier in the U.S. market compared to Bangladesh or Vietnam.
Chakravarthy reiterated that FTCCI had already submitted a memorandum to Telangana’s Minister for Industries & Commerce, Sri Duddilla Sridhar Babu, requesting: Exemption from trade license fees for manufacturing units, Reduction of commercial establishment fees to ₹7,000/year, Faster release of pending incentives, Subsidies to reduce shipping and logistics costs
He proposed a three-step action plan. Mr. Chakravarthy also outlined a simple yet powerful roadmap to find new markets. Target Europe, Canada, Latin America, and ASEAN. Utilise FTAs, including the upcoming UK agreement, expected to save £400 million/year.
FTCCI will support exporters with buyer connections and tools like the Indian Trade Portal. But we must work on to Improve Products & Processes; Adopt automation and data-driven production; Build local supply chains and reduce costs; Leverage FTCCI’s upcoming workshops for SMEs; Push for Government Support; Advocate for central and state-level interventions; Improve infrastructure such as cold storage for Agri-exports; Engage in diplomatic dialogue using strong India–US ties.
Mr. Mahesh Desai, Past Chairman, EEPC, stressed that different export categories require tailored strategies. He discouraged overreliance on subsidies and encouraged: Economizing raw materials, import substitution, using embassies and delegations to explore African and other new markets and adopting Japanese models in sourcing and logistics
Exporters impacted by the tariffs collectively recommended a strategic shift that includes: Focusing on core strengths, Diversifying export markets, Exploring new international opportunities, Cost innovation and operational efficiency and Government Support & Policy Assurance
Almost all speakers advocated for a multi-pronged approach—encompassing market diversification, government engagement, cost innovation, and legal preparedness—to make Indian exporters resilient to global protectionist shocks, including those from the U.S.