March 5, 2019

President Donald Trump's decision to end India's preferential trade status comes at a politically sensitive moment for the emerging market nation which is struggling with two domestic challenges.

First, is the upcoming election where it is unclear whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi will remain the leader of the world's largest democracy. Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party is fending off challenges from the opposition party known as Congress as well as rising regional parties.

"It is certainly not in India's best interest to have a trade war less than two months before the general election," said Ambassador Robert Blake, who currently leads McLarty Associates' India and South Asia practice, to CNBC.

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https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/05/india-prepares-response-to-trumps-trade-salvo.html