Inside the 90-Day Window: How Multinationals Are Adapting to Trump’s Tariff Pause

In April 2025, a 145% U.S. tariff on select Chinese tech imports marked a turning point for global deeptech firms. With a 90-day window to realign supply chains, manufacturers, semiconductor firms, and AI developers were pushed into high-stakes recalibration. As the dust settles, the responses have been anything but uniform—region-specific strategies are emerging across the globe. For deeptech players, policy literacy has gone from advisory-level input to boardroom-level strategy. 

United States: Manufacturing Boom or Bottleneck? 

Under the banner of “economic security is national security,” the U.S. administration announced on April 3 a sweeping tariff on advanced Chinese technologies—covering semiconductors, AI components, EV batteries, and smart electronics. 

How U.S. Firms Reacted: 

• Polestar (although Swedish, with U.S. operations) immediately paused its 2025 forecast and announced a shift in Polestar 3 manufacturing from Chengdu to South Carolina, citing direct tariff risks (Reuters, Apr 15). 

• Intel, already benefiting from the CHIPS Act, accelerated its Ohio fab project, receiving emergency fast-track permits. CEO Pat Gelsinger declared this the “decade of American semiconductors.” 

• Amazon Web Services (AWS) halted new AI server purchases from Chinese OEMs and initiated talks with Taiwanese and Mexican suppliers to comply with the looming AI component restrictions. 

• Meta prepared for the new “AI Diffusion Framework,” introduced by the U.S. Department of Commerce, which proposes restrictions on export of AI model weights, training data, and foundation model APIs (Commerce.gov, Apr 22). 

Asia-Pacific: Retaliation and Realignment 

In response, China imposed stricter export licensing on key inputs like rare earths and gallium—critical for chips, solar panels, and EVs. The move intensified the pressure on deeptech supply chains globally. 

Notable Developments: 

• Samsung began assessing production relocation options to Vietnam and India for its appliance and consumer electronics segments, aiming to sidestep direct exposure to U.S.-China frictions (Korea Times, Apr 18). 

• TSMC pushed forward its Arizona fab timelines while diverting R&D functions from mainland China to Japan and the U.S. 

• ByteDance froze its Western AI expansion roadmap and is reportedly exploring on-prem deployment models in Europe to mitigate cross-border policy risks. 

Europe: A Balancing Act Between Policy and Profit 

Europe remains caught between transatlantic policy alignment and deep Chinese trade ties. 

Key Moves: 

• ASML, the Dutch semiconductor lithography leader, warned that expanded U.S. controls on AI and chip exports could affect its support services for Chinese fabs, putting nearly 15% of its service revenue at risk (Bloomberg, Apr 25). 

• BMW is reevaluating its EV battery module suppliers and has issued RFQs to Thailand and Turkey, in anticipation of possible EU sanctions aligned with U.S. measures. 

• Nokia and Ericsson initiated contingency plans to replace Chinese sub-components in their 5G base stations, aligning with NATO-led cybersecurity sourcing standards. 

India & Southeast Asia: Supply Chain Winners in Waiting 

India, Vietnam, and Thailand are emerging as indirect beneficiaries of the tariff reshuffle. 

Strategic Wins: 

• Tata Electronics confirmed proposals from two U.S.-based chip design firms to co-invest in OSAT (Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test) capabilities in Tamil Nadu (Economic Times, Apr 28). 

• Foxconn committed $300 million to expanding its iPhone component and AI server assembly in India, aiming to reduce Chinese dependence by 25% by early 2026. 

• Vietnam’s VinFast initiated talks to export EVs to the U.S. under a new “green corridor agreement” exempting it from new tariffs. 

BIS Research: Translating Turbulence into Strategy 

This wave of policy shocks highlights why deeptech firms must embed geopolitical foresight into their core strategy. BIS Research helps organizations build regionally adaptive playbooks with: 

• Geo-Specific Intelligence: Country-by-country analysis of trade restrictions, local subsidies, and export classifications. 

• Tariff Impact Simulations: Helping companies model cost shifts and product roadmap delays under new trade regimes. 

• Policy Readiness Audits: Evaluating whether your GTM strategy aligns with current and pending regulations in AI, chips, and advanced materials. 

Whether you’re shifting fabs, adjusting product specs, or seeking alternate sourcing hubs—BIS Research ensures your market entry plan reflects political reality, not just market demand. 

Conclusion: Regional Strategy is the New Global Strategy 

Deep tech success in 2025 depends on something deeper than the tech stack—it requires policy literacy embedded at every operational level. The Trump administration’s 30-day tariff directive was not an anomaly—it’s a signal of the new normal. 

From Berlin to Bengaluru, from San Jose to Seoul, companies that interpret, adapt, and act on policy are the ones who will build resilient tech futures. 

Looking to future-proof your deeptech roadmap? 

Explore how BIS Research’s Market Entry Strategy team can help you lead through policy, not lag it. Visit the Market Entry Strategy Page