Tourism in India Can Offset U.S. Tariff Losses, But Needs Big Investment

India should make tourism a national growth engine, according to former G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant, calling for at least INR 200 billion ($2.3 billion) to promote the country in global markets through a revamped “Incredible India” campaign. “A large country like India having a tourism budget of just INR 30 million ($361,000) is absurd,” Kant told CNBC-TV18, adding that a stronger tourism push could “more than compensate” for the potential losses from proposed U.S. tariffs.

The United States has suggested a 50% tariff on India in response to its imports of Russian oil. Kant, who spearheaded the original “Incredible India” campaign and now sits on IndiGo’s board as a non-executive director, sees this as a chance to offset the economic hit by unlocking tourism’s full potential. “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring in radical reforms across sectors, make India more competitive, and use tourism as a growth engine,” he said.

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