RAS question
Which Rajasthan sector was expected to benefit immediately from the India-US tariff reduction effective February 7, 2026?
Correct answer: (B) Textile exports (Bhilwara) and gems & jewellery (Jaipur).
Rajasthan's textile export hub in Bhilwara and gems and jewellery sector in Jaipur were expected to benefit immediately from the India-US tariff reduction effective February 7, 2026.
Explanation
The immediate Rajasthan beneficiaries were Bhilwara's textile export hub and Jaipur's gems and jewellery sector. Press Information Bureau, Government of India shows why those sectors fit the tariff-change story: textile exports moved from a 50% tariff to 18%, with silk getting 0% duty access, and gems and jewellery exports also moved from 50% to 18%. It also lists 0% duty access for major categories such as diamonds, platinum and coins. Because the relief directly covers textiles and gems and jewellery, the Rajasthan answer is not a generic trade-sector guess; it follows the sectors tied to the official tariff summary.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Mining and petroleum are not the Rajasthan sectors expected to benefit immediately, while the tariff relief covers textiles and gems and jewellery instead.
- (C) Cement and steel do not match the prompt's identified Rajasthan beneficiaries, which are Bhilwara textiles and Jaipur gems and jewellery.
- (D) IT services and BPO relate to services, while the immediate benefit is tied to goods sectors covered by tariff reductions: textiles and gems and jewellery.
Concept
This tests how trade-policy announcements translate into Rajasthan-specific current-affairs impacts. It recurs in RAS because aspirants must connect national economic policy to the state's export clusters rather than memorise schemes in isolation.