The rupee witnessed a sharp rise in early trade on Tuesday after the tariff was reduced to 18 per cent under the India-US trade agreement. Rupee rose 119 paise to open at 90.30 against the dollar. This is considered to be a big increase from the previous close of 91.49 in the interbank foreign exchange market.
Forex traders say the 18 per cent tariff has changed the story, improving India’s relative position and increasing the likelihood of return of foreign institutional investors (FIIs).
According to Anil Kumar Bhansali, head of treasury, Finrex Treasury Advisors LLP, the trade deal, announced after a delay of nearly nine months, which was announced by US President Trump and endorsed by Prime Minister Modi, gives India an export edge compared to neighboring countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan. He said that FIIs, who have been selling for a long time, can now buy Indian stocks. However, it will be necessary to keep an eye on the stance of the Reserve Bank of India for further direction.
On the global front, the dollar index slipped 0.20 per cent to 97.43, while Brent crude oil fell 0.41 per cent to trade at $66.03 per barrel. There was a strong rise in the domestic stock market. Sensex rose 2,138 points (2.62%) to 83,804.54 and Nifty rose 607 points (2.42%) to 25,695.40.
However, the recent pressure has not been less. The rupee remained among Asia’s weakest currencies in 2025, falling nearly 5% over the year and more than 2% in January alone. Indian shares and the rupee remained under pressure after Washington imposed tariffs in late August, making them among the weakest performers among emerging markets in 2025. According to analysts, this trade agreement reduces geopolitical uncertainty related to the US-India trade dispute and improves the environment for new investments.
