New Delhi, Aug. 26 -- India's labour-intensive export sectors face a potential collapse of up to 70 percent as steep US tariffs are set to take effect from August 27, according to a report by the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI).

The US Customs Department published the draft tariff schedule on Tuesday, signalling major disruptions for Indian exporters.

The GTRI report said that 66 percent of India's exports to the US - worth USD 60.2 billion of the total USD 86.5 billion - will face duties of 50 percent or higher.

Only about 30 percent of shipments (USD 27.6 billion) will remain duty-free, largely in pharmaceuticals, APIs, and electronics, with medicines alone accounting for over half of the exempted exports.

The hardest hit ar...