New Delhi, June 24 -- Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday rebutted the label of "tariff king" often used by US President Donald Trump for India, and said the country's effective tariff rates are far lower than they appear.

Speaking at the Exim Bank Trade Conclave 2025 in the capital, the minister said India seeks parliamentary approval for setting tariffs at a certain level, but the effective rates notified are much lower than the ceiling approved. This creates the impression abroad that India's tariffs are high.

President Trump, who imposed a now-suspended 26% reciprocal tariff on Indian exports, first called India "tariff king" during his first term in 2019, and subsequently this year in February. The universal 10% baseline ...