Modi - the protectionist: 30-year high import duty to spur 'Make In India'

Trump signaled tit-for-tat duties against India's barriers on motorcycles, while the German Ambassador to India, Martin Ney, questioned the decision to raise customs duty on the import of auto parts

Less than a month after he declared to the World Economic Forum that India was open for business, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has raised import duties to their highest in three decades, setting the stage for a protracted trade war.

As he prepares to seek re-election next year, Modi has been ensnared by a global wave of protectionism that could threaten the foreign direct investments India needs to achieve double-digit growth. He has made it more expensive to import parts for automobiles, cameras, televisions, electricity meters and smartphones, risking trade disputes from allies like the US and Germany to rivals like