Trump ends preferential trade status for India, Turkey

Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi — (Image credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

President Trump is ending a preferential trade status for India and Turkey, effective in about 60 days, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer announced Monday.

The Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) allows countries to export up to $5.6 billion in goods to the U.S. duty-free. India, the program's largest beneficiary, shrugged off the news. "It's meant for least-developed countries, and India has graduated out of that," said Monideepa M. Mukherjee, a spokeswoman for India's commerce ministry, adding that India will hold off on retaliatory tariffs.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.