TARIFF TROUBLE. When the Trump administration’s tariffs slashed the amount of cargo from China to Georgia’s ports, officials quickly looked to southeast Asia — especially India — to pick up the slack.

But President Donald Trump’s latest tariffs — a 50% increase on India as punishment for their purchase of Russian oil — threatens to slow Georgia’s growth once again.

Georgia Ports Authority President and CEO Griff Lynch didn’t mention the tariffs during his speech to the Atlanta Rotary Club on Monday, where he again extolled the potential of Southeast Asia in Georgia’s economic future as Ramesh Babu Lakshmanan, India’s consul general in Atlanta, listened from the audience.

“We see Southeast Asia as a major part of our success, and the Indian subcontinent,” Lynch said. “And I’m not just saying that here because the consul general is here with us — although that helps.”

After the meeting, Lynch told us he is optimistic about the impact of the tariffs, saying “we’re focused on the long term.”