How does India look from space? Four decades after Indian astronaut Rakesh Sharma invoked poet Muhammad Iqbal’s “Saare Jahaan Se Accha” to answer this question, Indian-origin space explorer Sunita Williams reminisced about passing over the “incredible” Himalayas on board the International Space Station, a space lab that hosts astronauts from across the globe.

“Amazing, just amazing,” she replied when asked how India looked from space, back from a 286-day stay in space. “India is amazing. Every time we went over the Himalayas, Butch (Wilmore, fellow astronaut) got incredible pictures, it is just amazing,” said Ms Williams.

The US astronaut, who often talks about her Indian roots, was mesmerised by the view of the Indian landscape from above. From fishing fleets in the west to the grand Himalayas in the north, it was a home away from home for her.

Read: Did Boeing “Screw Up”? Sunita Williams And Butch Wilmore Say…

“I have described it before like this ripple that happened obviously when the plates collided and then, as it flows down into India, it is many-many colours. I think when you come from the East going into Gujarat and Mumbai, and (you see) the fishing fleet that is off the coast there, it gives you a little bit of a beacon, here we come. All throughout India, I think the impression that I had was this network of lights and from the bigger cities going to the smaller cities, and just incredible to look at night as well as during the day highlighted of course by the Himalayas which is just incredible as the forefront going down into India,” she said.

The 59-year-old astronaut is also excited about NASA’s upcoming Axiom mission that will take four astronauts to space. Among them is Subhanshu Shukla, an Indian Air Force test pilot and ISRO astronaut.

Read: “Will Throw Samosa Party”: Sunita Williams’ Family Says India Visit Soon

“It’s pretty awesome. They will have a hometown hero, their own who will be able to talk about how wonderful the International Space Station is from his perspective,” she said.

Ms Williams was also asked if she would help the Indian space flight programme. “I hope we can meet up at some point and share our experiences with as many people in India – why as possible because it is a great country and another wonderful democracy. That is trying to put its foot in the space countries and would love to be a part of that and help them along,” she replied.

Read: ‘Will You Return To Space On Boeing Starliner?’ What NASA Astronauts Said

Ms Williams, whose parents were born in India, also hopes to take a trip to her “father’s country”. Butch Wilmore, who was her co-traveller to the space station, does not want to be left out. “Do you plan to take your crew members on that trip with you?” he asked. “Absolutely,” she replied.

“You might stick out a little bit. That is okay. We will get you all primed to some spicy food,” she said.

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore had left for the space station for an eight-day mission in June on board the Boeing Starliner. Due to propulsion issues, the spacecraft returned uncrewed, stranding the two astronauts in space.

They finally returned to earth on March 19 on board SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft.

Amid suspense over US President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day tariff” plans, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Monday that there won’t be any exemptions on reciprocal tariffs. Listing tariffs imposed on American products by foreign nations, Ms Leavitt said that the “unfair trade practices” need to stop.

This comes as President Trump prepares to announce a round of reciprocal tariffs on April 2, a day he has labeled “Liberation Day” of America.

“The goal of Wednesday is a country-based tariff, but certainly sectoral tariffs. The President has said he’s committed to implementing them, and I would leave it to him when he makes that announcement,” Leavitt said, adding that “It’s time for reciprocity.”

HOLY SH*T 🚨 Karoline Leavitt brings a chart and shuts down Fake News Media with Tariff Facts:

– 700% tariff from Japan on rice
– 50% tariff from the EU on American dairy
– 100% tariff from India on agricultural products

WE COME WITH RECEIPTS pic.twitter.com/z1Tmd8rOd9

— MAGA Voice (@MAGAVoice) March 31, 2025

Holding a piece of paper listing massive tariffs from the European Union, India, Japan, and Canada, the White House Press spokesperson said, “If you look at the unfair trade practices that we have– 50 per cent from the European Union on American dairy. You have a 700 per cent tariff from Japan on American rice. You have a 100 per cent tariff from India on American agricultural products. You have nearly a 300 per cent tariff from Canada on American butter and American cheese.”

“This makes it virtually impossible for American products to be imported into these markets, and it puts a lot of Americans out of business and out of work over the past several decades,” she added.

Countries often heavily tariff foreign imports to protect industries or sectors vital to their own economies. President Trump’s reciprocal tariffs aim to match other countries’ higher tariff rates for specific goods and compensate for non-tariff barriers that put US exports at a disadvantage.

The Trump administration has argued that the tariff discrepancy is unfair for Americans and hurts their homegrown companies and workers. 

Ms Leavitt pledged that Trump’s new tariffs will bring “historic change” to America’s trade relationships, adding, “Unfortunately, these countries have been ripping off our country for far too long…And they’ve made their disdain, I think, for the American worker quite clear.”

Trade Barriers Report 

Meanwhile, the Trump administration on Monday also released an encyclopedic list of foreign countries’ policies and regulations it regards as trade barriers, two days before the proposed hitting global trading partners with reciprocal tariffs.

The Office of the US Trade Representative’s annual National Trade Estimate Report on foreign trade barriers lists average applied tariff rates for trading partner countries and non-tariff barriers ranging from onerous food safety regulations to renewable energy requirements and public procurement rules.

“No American President in modern history has recognized the wide-ranging and harmful foreign trade barriers American exporters face more than President Trump,” US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said in a statement.

“Under his leadership, this administration is working diligently to address these unfair and non-reciprocal practices, helping restore fairness and put hardworking American businesses and workers first in the global market,” Greer added.

It is unclear how the 397-page report will impact Trump’s reciprocal tariff plans.

What Did The Report Say?

Many of the listed trade barriers are technical in nature or the result of government regulation that blocks some U.S. exports, such as delays in EU approvals for genetically modified crops or bans on agricultural imports containing residues of certain types of pesticides.

The report flagged a new EU requirement for a minimum amount of post-consumer recycled content in plastic packaging as potentially creating “unjustified barriers to US exports,” saying the U.S. would work with the EU on the rule’s implementation.

The report also highlighted longstanding sources of trade disputes, such as Canada’s “supply management” system for its dairy, poultry and egg industries, which use production limits on import quotas and high tariffs, with out-of-quota tariffs on cheese at 245 per cent and butter at 298 per cent.

It listed VATs and their implementation as burdensome to US imports in some other countries, including Argentina, Mexico and the United Arab Emirates. The report said China’s use of VAT rebates to encourage exports of certain products acted as a kind of subsidy.
 

RPP senior vice-president Mishra and general secretary Rana, a member of the lower house, were remanded in custody for five days by Kathmandu district court judge Taradevi Maharjan.