New Delhi, Dec. 15 -- America's greatness, or at least the White House version of it, gets costlier for others by the day. The blow taken by India's auto exports to Mexico, whose tariffs are set to more than double next year, could also be ascribed to that project.

When Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum unveiled her plan to raise barriers in September, a shield for local industry was the stated aim, but her real anxiety was clearly a review of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) due in 2026.

Recall how US President Donald Trump rattled Mexico and Canada with threats within days of taking office. In April, his 'reciprocal tariffs' spared them both; today, they face an effective rate of under 10%, thanks mostly to how deeply integrat...