** India's benchmark indexes up 0.4% each following strong performances in Reliance Industries RELI.NS and metal .NIFTYMET stocks

** Blue-chip indexes rise after fluctuating between gains and losses earlier in the day, as tariff uncertainty offset prosects of bargain hunting

** A potential tariff war, foreign outflows and rise in U.S. inflation pose downside risk for Nifty, as per analysts led by Amish Shah of BofA Securities

** RIL jumps around 2%, after hitting a 15-month low earlier in the week, on rating upgrade from Kotak and positive commentary from Jefferies

** Metal .NIFTYMET climbs 2.4%, add to Wednesday's gains after China's steel output cut seen reducing the dumping of cheap steel into Indian markets

** Heavyweight financials .NIFTYFIN up 0.2% on likely support from the RBI's $21 billion liquidity infusion measures

** Drop in crude oil prices aid oil marketing companies and paint makers O/R

** Among stocks, Castrol India CAST.NS jumps 12% on report Saudi Aramco eyeing bid for BP's stake in the company

(Reporting by Vivek Kumar M and Bharath Rajeswaran)

((VivekKumar.M@thomsonreuters.com;))