Kolkata, Apr 4 (Reporter) As the US is the top export destination for Indian engineering exports, the sector would be impacted at least in the first year, or till India expands its presence in other markets, the EEPC India said on Friday. " Indian engineering exports to the US stood at $17.27 billion in the April-February period of the financial year 2024-25, registering a year-on-year growth of 8.3 percent as compared to $15.95 billion in the April-February period of FY2023- 24," EEPC India chairman Pankaj Chadha said. The reciprocal tariff proposed to be imposed on India is 27 pc. " This is high enough to impact exports from India and hit the businesses," Chadha predicted. The Trump administration announced a 25 pc duty on all steel and aluminium imports into the US. " Our preliminary estimate is that engineering goods exports to the US could drop by $4-5 billion in the first year. The exact impact on engineering exports to the US cannot be determined at present since it will depend on the ability of the American market to absorb these duties. " Going forward, Indian engineering exporters need to diversify export markets to minimize the impact of the higher US tariff. As India and the US are engaged in negotiating a bilateral trade agreement (BTA) we hope it will lessen the impact of the proposed tariff on Indian goods," the EEPC India chairman concluded...////...