At first glance, the India–US framework for an Interim Agreement reads like a conventional tariff-for-tariff deal. A closer look at the fine print, however, shows a carefully hedged document—one that prioritises legal durability, strategic signalling and negotiating leverage over irreversible commitments. 1. Why section 232 is the real win? The most meaningful concession in the framework comes under Section 232 of US trade law. Unlike reciprocal tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), Section 232 measures are not exposed to the ongoing US Supreme Court case that could restrict President Donald Trump's authority to impose emergency-based tariffs.