The United States has imposed new tariffs on imports from 60 trading partners, including Colombia, India and Uruguay, following an investigation into whether those countries adequately prevent the import of goods made with forced labour. The measures, announced on 23 July by the Office of the United States Trade Representative, set additional duties of 10 percent on India and 12.5 percent on Colombia and Uruguay, among others. According to the Indian commerce ministry, the final rate for India is lower than an initially proposed 12.5 percent, while the Uruguayan government noted that its tariff rose from a previous 10 percent.

Viewed from Bogotá, the decision has ignited a political dispute between the outgoing and incoming administrations. President Gustavo Petro stated on social media that he is not responsible for U.S. tariff policy, arguing that unilateral tariffs violate the free-trade agreement between the two countries. Vice-president-elect José Manuel Restrepo countered that Washington had been demanding since March 2026 that Colombia take steps to keep forced-labour components out of its imports, and he described the Petro government as incapable of acting in time. Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio, meanwhile, attributed the U.S. move to a fiscal deficit and excessive military spending linked to the war with Iran, asserting that the measures reflect a unilateral attempt to dominate global trade.

In New Delhi, the commerce ministry emphasised that an estimated 45 percent of Indian exports to the U.S. will not face the new 10 percent duty, as products such as generic pharmaceuticals, smartphones, steel, aluminium and auto parts are exempt. The ministry added that India’s tariff incidence is lower than that of 38 other economies covered by the investigation, a result of sustained engagement with U.S. authorities. It also confirmed that India remains in talks with Washington on a bilateral trade agreement and on a textile-specific mechanism that has yet to be operationalised.

Montevideo’s response focused on the limited scope of the measure. The Ministry of Economy and Finance said that 77.5 percent of Uruguayan exports to the U.S. — including beef, wood pulp, timber and oranges — are exempt from the new tariff. President Yamandú Orsi acknowledged that the decision was linked to U.S. concerns over forced labour but noted that only about one-fifth of the country’s goods exports are affected. The government also pointed to a legislative article prohibiting imports produced with forced or child labour as part of its effort to mitigate the impact.

In Colombia, the tariff will hit roughly 30 percent of exports to the U.S., according to Javier Díaz, president of the exporters’ association Analdex, with flowers, textiles, glass, plastics and cosmetics among the most exposed sectors. The Colombian-American Chamber of Commerce clarified that the U.S. objection targets the institutional system for controlling imports from third countries, not an allegation that Colombian exports themselves are produced with forced labour. The incoming government of president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella has announced that the designated trade minister, Mauricio Gómez Amín, will begin meetings with U.S. officials on Tuesday to present a draft decree addressing the forced-labour issue.