Indian equity markets experienced a sharp decline, marking the worst opening since March 2020, amid escalating trade tensions and fears of a recession in the U.S. The Sensex fell by 512 points, while the Nifty dropped 146 points as global sentiment soured due to fresh tariffs imposed by the U.S. on 60 countries, including a 104% tariff on China. Economists have advised investors to remain calm, citing strong fundamentals in the Indian economy despite the turmoil. The Reserve Bank of India's recent surprise rate cut to 6% has also contributed to market volatility. Analysts note that Indian markets are closely following trends in Asia, with concerns over persistent foreign institutional investor selling and weak global cues further weighing on market performance.