Billions to be paid! US starts refund process for Trump tariffs: Can Indian exporters claim?

The US government has rolled out a system to facilitate refunds of over $166 billion from tariffs introduced by Donald Trump and later invalidated by the US Supreme Court. In February, the court struck down a broad set of reciprocal tariffs, delivering a significant setback to a central pillar of Trump’s economic agenda and paving the way for repayments.On Monday, US Customs and Border Protection announced that the first phase of its refund-processing platform is now operational, allowing importers and customs brokers to begin filing claims to recover the duties they had paid.The agency had earlier estimated in March that more than 330,000 importers may qualify for reimbursements on duties or deposits linked to over 53 million shipments. In its initial rollout, the platform covers about $127 billion in duty payments eligible for electronic refunds.The process to return reciprocal tariff payments starts on April 20 through a newly launched online platform, CAPE (Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries), operated by US Customs and Border Protection.This move follows a February 20, 2026 judgment by the US Supreme Court, which ruled that tariffs introduced by Donald Trump were unlawful. The court found that these duties had been imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act without adequate legal backing.Also Read | Iran has closed Strait of Hormuz completely: What does this mean for India’s crude oil, LPG, LNG supplies?The tariffs impacted a wide range of exports from countries including India.To receive repayments, importers in the US are required to submit claims which include shipment details, applicable tariff classifications and proof of payment. Once approved, these refunds along with interest are expected to be processed within 60 to 90 days. Eligibility is limited to those who originally paid the tariffs, primarily US importers and businesses.The total amount to be refunded is estimated at around $166 billion, with nearly $12 billion tied to Indian goods.The tariff structure began at 10% on April 2, 2025, before escalating quickly. Duties on Indian goods increased to 25% by August 7, 2025, and further to 50% by August 28, remaining at that level until early February 2026. On February 6, 2026, rates were lowered to 18% following negotiations. However, the Supreme Court’s ruling later that month nullified the entire regime, effectively rendering the tariffs void and paving the way for refunds.Exporters and end consumers are not permitted to file claims directly, although some companies, such as FedEx, may opt to pass on the refunded amounts at their discretion.According to Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), around 53% of India’s shipments to the US, which largely comprises textiles and apparel, were subject to higher tariffs. This makes them the largest contributors to the refund pool.Of the nearly $12 billion tied to Indian exports, textiles and apparel are estimated to account for around $4 billion, followed by engineering goods with a similar share and chemicals contributing about $2 billion, while other sectors make up the remainder.However, what is important to understand is that these refunds will not flow directly to Indian exporters. The payments are meant only for US importers who bore the tariff burden.Also Read | Explained: On way to 4th largest, how India slipped to 6th rank & what it means for 3rd largest economy dream“Payments go only to US importers, and exporters have no legal right to claim them. Indian exporters, therefore, have no direct legal route to claim refunds,” explains Ajay Srivastava, founder of GTRI.Hence, any potential recovery of these refunds will depend on commercial discussions. Exporters will need to actively engage with their US counterparts to negotiate a share of the refunded duties, particularly in cases where earlier pricing factored in tariff costs.GTRI explains that this can be done by reopening contracts, adding rebate-sharing clauses, asking for price revisions or credit notes, and using invoices and tariff data to show how costs were absorbed.“Exporters with stronger bargaining power, especially in textiles and engineering goods, may secure better terms in future orders,” the think tank says.Industry bodies such as the Apparel Export Promotion Council, Engineering Export Promotion Council of India and Chemexcil can also assist exporters with guidance on contract renegotiation and sector-specific approaches, it adds.