Trump's Tariff Throne Crumbles — What It Means For Us
Imagine you are the most powerful person in the world. You can sanction countries, move armies, and shake stock markets with a single tweet. Now imagine nine judges — sitting quietly in black robes — telling you: "Sorry, you cannot do that." That is exactly what happened to Donald Trump on February 20, 2026. The United States Supreme Court, in a historic 6–3 ruling, told the most powerful president on earth that his tariffs were illegal. And the world, including India, is still calculating what this really means.
So what exactly happened? Let us understand it simply.
Trump had been using a 1977 law called the International Emergency Economic Powers Act — IEEPA for short — to impose huge import taxes, called tariffs, on goods coming into America from almost every country. He called trade deficits and the fentanyl drug crisis "national emergencies" and used that excuse to slap heavy taxes — some as high as 25 to 50 percent — on foreign products. He said it would protect American jobs and bring in billions of dollars. And it did bring in over $175 billion. But the question was — did he have the legal right to do it?
The Supreme Court said no. Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, gave a very simple and powerful reasoning: if Congress — the law-making body of America — truly wanted to give the President the power to impose tariffs, it would have clearly written so in the law. The 1977 IEEPA law talks about controlling trade during emergencies, but it does not specifically mention the word "tariff" even once. So the President cannot assume powers that the law never gave him. This is what lawyers call the "major questions doctrine" — in big matters that affect the entire country's economy, the law must be clear. Silence is not permission.
What made this ruling even more dramatic was that six out of nine judges agreed — three conservatives and three liberals, crossing political lines. Even two judges appointed by Trump himself — Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett — voted against him. Only three judges — Thomas, Alito, and Kavanaugh — disagreed. Kavanaugh, in fact, warned that returning the $175 billion already collected from companies could be a financial "mess" for the government. Hundreds of companies have already filed cases asking for refunds. That legal battle is just beginning.
Now, what will Trump do next? He is not the type to sit quietly. Almost immediately after the ruling, he announced he would sign a new executive order using a different law — Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 — to impose a 10% global tariff. But there is a catch: Section 122 tariffs can last only 150 days and cannot exceed 15%. That is a much smaller weapon than what IEEPA allowed him. He is also continuing with Section 232 tariffs — justified on national security grounds — on steel, aluminium, cars, and even robotics. And he has started new Section 301 investigations to punish countries for "unfair trade." So the tariff wall is not completely gone. It has just become shorter and narrower.
Now here comes the part that concerns us directly — India.
India had been negotiating a temporary trade deal with the United States for months. Trump had placed a 25% tariff on Indian goods and added another 25% penalty because India was buying oil from Russia. That was a 50% tax on our exports. After months of talks — which officially began after PM Modi's Washington visit in February 2025 — both countries agreed on a framework. The tariff on Indian goods would come down from 50% to 18%. In return, India would lower import taxes on American industrial and farm products.
The deal was expected to be signed in March and come into effect from April 2026. When asked if the Supreme Court ruling changes anything, Trump said firmly — "Nothing changes." He even praised PM Modi as a "great gentleman" while insisting that the new arrangement is fair: "They pay tariffs to us. We do not pay tariffs to them."
For India, this is a moment of cautious optimism. The 18% tariff, as Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal pointed out, is one of the lowest rates compared to countries like Bangladesh, Vietnam, Thailand, and China, which compete directly with India in exports. Our exports to the US from April to January this year have grown by 5.8%, reaching $72 billion. The trade surplus — meaning India is selling more to America than it is buying — stands at $28.53 billion. These are solid numbers.
But let us be honest. The situation is still uncertain. Trump may find new legal routes to impose tariffs. Section 301 investigations could target India specifically. The 150-day limit on Section 122 tariffs means another round of drama is possible by mid-2026.
What the Supreme Court has done is historic. It reminded the world — and America itself — that no one, not even the president, is above the law. For India, it is a moment to stay alert, stay at the table, and keep negotiating smartly.
Because in global trade, just like in cricket, the match is never truly over until the last ball is bowled.
(Girish Linganna is an award-winning science communicator and a Defence, Aerospace & Geopolitical Analyst. He is the Manag ing Director of ADD Engineering Components India Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany)
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or position of the publication, its editors, or its management. The publication is not responsible for the accuracy of any information, statements, or opinions presented in this piece.
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Over 300 students from govt schools in Punjab qualify JEE Mains 2026: Education minister
Chandigarh (PTI): Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Saturday said 305 students from government schools qualified in their first attempt of the joint entrance examination (JEE) Mains 2026.
This number reflects an increase of 63 per cent from last year's 187 successful candidates, he said describing the achievement as a defining moment for the state's school education system.
Bains shared that five students from his constituency Sri Anandpur Sahib also cracked the prestigious examination.
He announced that the government will organise a special three-week residential training camp to prepare the qualified students for JEE Advance, ensuring they receive focused guidance for the next stage.
"This feat marks a moment of immense pride for our entire school education department. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all our dedicated teachers. The recent JEE Mains Phase 1 results showcased an outstanding performance by the Punjab government schools, with 305 students cracking the competitive engineering exam," Bains said.
This feat represents a remarkable 63 per cent increase from last year's 187 qualifiers, he said.
"Achieving such a significant milestone in just one year is a testament to the transformative power of our Punjab 'Sikhya Kranti' initiative. We are committed to further accelerating our progress," the state education minister said.
He also shared that Bhavishya, a Class 12 non-medical student from the School of Eminence in Amritsar secured an impressive 98.182 percentile.
His father runs a mobile repair shop and his mother works as a tailor.
"Despite financial constraints, his determination to pursue engineering and uplift his family remained unshaken. With strong school support and disciplined preparation, he achieved outstanding success," he said.
He further informed that Dilkhush Jha, a government school student from Bathinda, scored 95.091 percentile in JEE Mains.
With his father being a labourer and mother a homemaker, and an annual family income of Rs 1.2 lakh, he relied on self-study.
Similarly, Priyanka Sharma, a science student from the School of Eminence, Sangrur, secured a 96.44 percentile in JEE Mains while simultaneously preparing for NEET.
Bains said no other state government has matched this scale of achievement in government schools.
He congratulated all 305 students and their parents, and thanked the teachers for making what he described as a historic day for Punjab's government school system.
