The adviser said that the government has already formed a commission to investigate enforced disappearances.

1. On Sunday, the US president appeared to substantially expand his tariff plans, insisting that “all countries” would be targeted. “You would start with all countries, so let’s see what happens,” Trump told reporters, dashing hopes that he might scale back some of the levies or that they would target a select group of nations. “I haven’t heard a rumour about 15 countries, 10 or 15… Essentially all of the countries that we are talking about. We have been talking about all countries, not a cutoff,” he said.
2. A day before the expected announcement, Trump claimed India would be dropping its tariffs “very substantially”. “I think a lot of (countries) will drop their tariffs because they have been unfairly tariffing the United States for years. If you look at the European Union on cars, the EU has already dropped their tariff to 2.5 per cent. It was announced a couple of days ago. A very small tariff. The US charged very little. I think I heard that India, just a little while ago, is going to be dropping its tariffs very substantially. I said why didn’t somebody do this a long time ago? A lot of countries are going to be dropping their tariffs,” he said.
3. Hours before that, the White House said India imposes a 100 per cent levy on American agricultural products. “If you look at the unfair trade practices that we have – 50% 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,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, holding up a chart with tariffs levied by countries, including India. 
4. From 2021-22 to 2023-24, the US was India’s largest trading partner. The US accounts for about 18 per cent of India’s total goods exports, 6.22 per cent of imports, and 10.73 per cent of bilateral trade, a PTI report said. With the US, India had a trade surplus (difference between exports and imports) of $35.32 billion in goods in 2023-24. The figure was $27.7 billion in 2022-23, $32.85 billion in 2021-22, $22.73 billion in 2020-21 and $17.26 billion in 2019-20
5. India and the US have decided to hold sector-specific talks in the coming weeks to finalise the structure of the proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA). Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has said discussions are progressing well and will be for the “good” of both nations while protecting India’s interests.
6. The Sensex and Nifty tanked on Tuesday, with the fall being driven by the uncertainty over the impact of Trump’s tariffs. The Sensex fell 1,390.41 points, or 1.8 per cent, to settle at 76,024.51 while the NSE Nifty dropped 353.65 points, or 1.5 per cent, to 23,165.7.
7. Last week, Trump announced a 25 per cent tariff on all auto imports and a similar tariff on steel and aluminum was implemented in March. 
8. Many countries have also vowed to retaliate against the US tariffs, if needed. European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc still hopes for a “negotiated solution” but “all instruments are on the table” to hit back if necessary. “We are open to negotiations,” the European Commission chief told a European Parliament session, “but we have a strong plan to retaliate if necessary.”
9. China, Japan and South Korea agreed to jointly respond to US tariffs, a social media account affiliated with Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said. The comments came after the three countries held their first economic dialogue in five years on Sunday, news agency Reuters reported.
10. The White House said on Tuesday that Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs will take effect immediately after they are announced. “My understanding is that the tariff announcement will come tomorrow, they will be effective immediately,” Press Secretary Leavitt said. 

Bangladesh leader Mohd Yunus‘ comments about the seven northeastern states – which he called “an extension of the Chinese economy” and which he seemed to urge Beijing to take over – have triggered fierce reactions from Indian politicians, including one to “break up Bangladesh”. The comment was made by Pradyot Manikya, the founder of Tipra Motha, the second-largest party in Tripura.

In a post on X, Mr Manikya, a member of the state’s erstwhile royal family. suggested Delhi “rather than spending billions” on ways to establish and maintain physical control of, and communications with, the northeast, simply take control of parts of Bangladesh that have “always wanted to be part of India”.

This, he declared, would also give the northeastern states “our own access to the sea”, something the Bangladesh interim government head told China is lacking at present.

“The Chittagong hill tracts were always inhabited by indigenous tribes that have always wanted to be part of India… there are lakhs and lakhs of Tripuri, Garo, Khasi, and Chakma people who reside in Bangladesh (but) in terrible conditions in their traditional lands,” he noted on X.

“This should be utilised for our national interest and their well-being,” he said.

The Chittagong Hill Tracts have been a problem for Bangladesh since the nation was created, with protests taking place under the leadership of MN Larma and the ‘Shanti Bahini‘, or ‘Peace Force’, which was the armed wing of a political group representing the indigenous people there.

Rather than spending billions on innovative and challenging engineering ideas we might as well break up Bangladesh and have our own access to the sea . The Chittagong hill tracts were always inhabited by indigenous tribes which always wanted to be part of india since 1947 . There… https://t.co/rcjs6msae7

— Pradyot_Tripura (@PradyotManikya) April 1, 2025

The group sought autonomy and recognition of the indigenous identities of the various tribal communities in the region. Eventually, a peace deal was signed by Sheikh Hasina in 1997.

The X post drew criticism from certain quarters but the Tipra Motha chief was unfazed, insisting “Bangladesh was never our friend… so let’s not be fooled”.

The only ‘friend’ India had in that country, he said, was the late Sheikh Mujiur Rahman, whose daughter, Sheikh Hasina, was Prime Minister till last year’s revolution.

READ | “No Response Yet”: Mohd Yunus On Sheikh Hasina Extradition

Ms Hasina is now in India and the subject of an extradition request by the Yunus administration.

“Let us not fool ourselves… I live here in the northeast and we see clear and present danger every day. I understand your Left leanings makes it difficult… but appreciate our views too.”

Mr Manikya’s suggestion has some basis in history but its significance but the current context is equally important, for it follows comments by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Mr Sarma had called Mr Yunus’ remarks “offensive” and “strongly condemnable”, and called on the union government to develop rail and road links between the rest of the country and the northeast, land access to which is only through the Siliguri, or ‘Chicken’s Neck’, Corridor.

This corridor is only 22km wide at its narrowest.

NDTV Explains | Dagger To Chicken’s Neck? Why Yunus’ Remarks Enrage

The Bangladesh leader’s remark, the Chief Minister also said, “underscores the persistent vulnerability narrative associated with the corridor”. He pointed further to comments by “internal elements (that) have dangerously suggested severing this critical passageway…”

The row broke after Mr Yunus had invited China to take advantage of his country’s position as “the guardian of the ocean” in the region, referring to three major sea ports – Chattogram (formerly Chittagong), Mongla, and Payra – and an under-construction fourth – Matabari.

READ | Dhaka Asks For China’s “Extension” In Veiled Threat To Northeast India

The Chattogram Port has enormous strategic importance. Not only is it the largest in Bangladesh, but it was also being considered by Delhi as a transhipment hub to move goods to Tripura capital Agartala.

A paper by the Asian Development Bank noted that transportation costs from the Kolkata Port to Agartala is between Rs 6,300 and Rs 7,000 per ton. Costs for the Chattogram route – i.e., from Kolkata to the Bangladeshi port and then on by rail – are much less

But the change of government in Bangladesh has complicated issues.

Meanwhile, there are also concerns over Bangladesh inviting China to be part of the Teesta Water Management project. During Mr Yunus’ trip to China, Dhaka said talks with Beijing on this had moved forward. If this happens, it will give China a presence south of districts like Bengal’s Jalpaiguri.

This, coupled with China already building a military presence to the north, would have very grave implications for security of the Chicken’s Neck Corridor, necessitating India keep strategic countermeasures ready to tackle threats to the corridor or the northeast.