My Modi. My CEO. And Why 18% Tariff Is a Strategic Step — Not the Endgame

 My Modi. My CEO.

And how real leaders read the 18% tariff story.

Yesterday, the US reduced tariffs on Indian goods from 25% to 18%.

Headlines called it a win.
CEOs should call it progress.

Because leadership is not about noise.
It’s about reading signals.

Let’s zoom out—like a CEO does.

The regional reality:

China: 34% (high, but scale absorbs pain)
Pakistan: 19% → with GSP, effective ~14%
Bangladesh & Vietnam: 20% → with GSP, ~15%
Indonesia: 19%

India at 18% is now strategically placed.

Not weak.
Not behind.
But not done yet.

The real insight most headlines missed:

India lost GSP benefits in 2019.

Which means—
Even at 18%, Indian exporters often pay more than regional peers in the US market.

This isn’t a policy failure.
This is a margin + execution challenge.

And CEOs don’t complain about challenges.
They convert them into advantage.

Why this moment matters:

Global supply chains are rebalancing right now.
Tariffs decide who gets the next factory order, not who trends on social media.

18% opens the door.
Execution decides who walks in.

The Modi playbook is clear:
Policy creates the runway.
CEOs are expected to take off.

CEO takeaway:

This is progress, not victory
Strategy > celebration
Speed + scale + execution will decide whether India leads or merely participates

So the real question isn’t:
“Is 18% good news?”

It’s:
“Can Indian CEOs turn partial advantage into full-scale dominance?”

That’s the game we play at Laprava—
where policy meets execution,
and headlines meet hard numbers.

— Avinash Maurya
CEO | Laprava Studio 🚀

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