The U.S. imposed 10% tariffs on goods purchased from India and 16 other countries over the issue of the use of forced labour in the production of such items.

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer announced the new tariffs on 60 countries under Section 301 of the Trade Act on Thursday, a day before the expiration of 10 per cent additional levies on all countries.

Of the 60 countries facing the tariffs, the 10 per cent rate applies to 17 countries, including India, Canada, the UK, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The other 43 will have to bear 12.5 per cent.

The USTR statement said that Greer had taken the final action, at President Donald Trump's direction, under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 by imposing tariffs on 60 economies for their failure to impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labour.