Trump tariff impact contained: Amazon claims milestone, says it helped Indian sellers hit $20 billion in exports

Amazon announced on Monday that it had helped Indian sellers’ total exports exceed $20 billion this year, including nearly $7 billion, as smaller operators sought to offset the impact of new US import duties introduced in August.

The e-commerce giant stated that it maintains its confidence in its long-term growth and has set a new target of reaching 80 billion dollars in exports by 2030, driven by the increasing demand for cosmetics, toys, furniture and clothing (clothing) worldwide.

Thousands of Indian artisans and small businesses were affected after the US doubled tariffs on certain goods to 50% from August 27. The duties were imposed in response to India’s purchase of Russian oil.

Amazon executives argued that broader export impact remains limited.

“We are focusing on controllable inputs and not short-term trade winds,” Amazon Global Sales India head Srinidhi Kalvapudi said in an interview. Reuters.

“Our long-term story is structural, not cyclical, and this is still day one for e-commerce exports.”

US remains the leading destination for Indian sellers on Amazon

Amazon’s Global Selling program, launched in 2015, enables Indian small and medium-sized businesses to sell to customers across 18 global markets, including the US, UK, Germany, Canada and the United Arab Emirates.

Kalvapudi said the top destination for Indian sellers on Amazon is the US, followed by the UK, Germany and Canada.

Exports to the US fell to $5.43 billion in September from $6.87 billion in August as duties affected shipments of textiles, prawns (prawns), gems and jewellery, according to data from India’s Ministry of Commerce.

Kalvapudi noted that Amazon’s exporter base has increased by 33% in a year to nearly 200,000 sellers and covers 28 states and seven union territories, including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Haryana.

The Amazon executive said the $20 billion export target has been achieved ahead of the end-2025 target, led by increased shipments from smaller cities such as Panipat, Bhadohi, Karur and Erode.

“The most inspiring thing is that exports are no longer limited to metros; small towns are now making a big contribution,” Kalvapudi said.

Categories such as health, beauty, home, clothing and toys continue to expand at more than 35 percent annually, he said.

“These reforms will further increase over time as Indian brands expand globally,” Kalvapudi added.

In 2024 alone, Panipat and Karur together shipped nearly $160 million worth of goods, underscoring the rise of smaller manufacturing hubs (hubs).

India’s 2023 trade policy and the Reserve Bank of India’s simplified e-commerce export rules supported this expansion.