'Dirty 15': Which countries will suffer most from Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs? Is India on the list?

The government of the United States - led by President Donald Trump - is set to impose reciprocal tariffs today, i.e., April 2 to mark, what he calls, "Liberation Day for America". The new tariff policy aims to impose the same amount of tariffs on other countries that they impose on US goods. 

Although the exact details of their "fair and reciprocal" plan remain unclear, certain nations are expected to bear the brunt of Trump administration's revised tariff policies. 

The "Dirty 15" list

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently included a group of nations in the "Dirty 15" list, highlighting that these countries impose steep tariffs and restrictive trade policies on American goods. 

As per an India Today report, Bessent did not disclose the exact list of the "Dirty 15" nations, data from the US Commerce Department’s 2024 trade deficit report provides some clues about the same.

According to the report, the countries with the highest goods trade deficits with the US are: 1. China 2. Mexico 3. Japan 4. European Union 5. Vietnam 6. Germany 7. Ireland 8. Taiwan 9. South Korea 10. Canada 11. India 12. Thailand 13. Italy 14. Switzerland 15. Malaysia and 16. Indonesia

In addition, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) has also pointed out 21 countries which, according to the administration, adopt "unfair trade practices". The extended list includes:  Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Union, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Kingdom and Vietnam, as per the India Today report.