Chennai, Feb. 10 -- The reduction in tariffs under the India-US trade deal framework is expected to significantly improve the competitiveness of Indian exports and deliver broad-based gains for the chemical industry, Ramya Bharathram, President of the Indian Chemical Council (ICC), said on Monday.

Bharathram said higher tariffs had been affecting Indian industry "to a very large extent," and the proposed duty easing was a welcome development.

"The fact that tariffs have come down and there is a deal that is going to be announced in the future is definitely a big positive," she said.

According to Bharathram, reducing tariffs to an average of around 18 per cent would put Indian products on a more competitive global footing.

"A lot of As...