With US initiating the process of refunding reciprocal tariffs starting April 20, the think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) has suggested that Indian exporters should proactively engage with American buyers to seek a share of the refunded duties. It pointed that the engagement will be important as the refunded payments go only to US importers, and exporters have no legal right to claim them. Therefore, Indian exporters must negotiate with US buyers to take the benefit and seek a share of refunds where earlier prices included tariff costs.

In order to take benefit of these refunds, GTRI suggested that exporters can reopen contracts, add rebate-sharing clauses, ask for price revisions or credit notes, and use invoices and tariff data to show how costs were absorbed. Further, it noted that exporters with stronger bargaining power, especially in textiles and engineering goods, may secure better terms in future orders. Besides, it highlighted that out of total refunds worth around $166 billion, refunds worth about $12 billion are linked to India. Out of these, textiles and apparel may account for about $4 billion, engineering goods another $4 billion, and chemicals about $2 billion, with smaller shares from other sectors.

In April 2025, the US imposed reciprocal tariff on its trading partners with tariffs starting at 10%. Further, it raised the tariffs on India to 25% by August 7, 2025 and to 50% by August 28, which remained at that level until early February 2026. On February 20, the US Supreme Court ruling invalidated the entire framework of Trump tariffs, making the tariffs legally void and triggering refunds. Further, to get the refunds, US importers must file detailed claims online with shipment data, tariff lines and proof of payment.