New Delhi, Aug. 5 -- As India grapples with the adverse fallout on its economy of higher tariffs on exports to the US, steeper barriers elsewhere and global supply-chain dislocations, one cushion that is seldom padded up to absorb a foreign-exchange shock lies in plain sight: tourism.

With US tariffs expected to average close to 18%, the highest since 1934, we must brace for their impact on our export income. The US is our largest trade partner.

Also read: India's tourism boom: Sector to double to Rs.42 trillion by 2035, driven mainly by domestic travel, says WTTC

According to commerce ministry data, our merchandise exports to the US stood at $86.5 billion in 2024-25, as against $77.5 billion the previous year. Service exports are unli...