Political parties in India have exhibited a sharp divide as the US’ additional 25 per cent tariffs on Indian imports came into effect on Wednesday, pushing the total tariff on Indian goods to 50 per cent.
The BJP and its allies emphasised the country’s self-reliance and resilience in the situation, while the Opposition parties termed it a “diplomatic failure” of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.
The bilateral trade ties between India and the US have been witnessing tension for the past few months with the Donald Trump administration imposing heavy tariffs on Indian exports to the US.
“Let America act as it wishes; India is no one’s economic slave. Our foreign and diplomatic policies are robust and capable of handling such challenges,” JD (U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said, reacting to the development.
“India is self-reliant and progressing steadily. The pressure from the US will not sway us. India is an emerging global power with a rapidly growing economy. Under PM Modi’s leadership, through initiatives like ‘Startup India’ and strong Defence policies, India has become stronger. The prime minister has stood firm on farmers’ issues, and therefore, these tariffs will have limited impact,” said BJP MP Gulam Ali Khatana.
However, the Opposition was not convinced. Voicing skepticism over the government’s assurance, Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Shirsat, reacting to the emerging situation, said, “While the final decision lies with the Central government, ordinary citizens might have to bear the brunt of these tariffs.”
Another BJP leader, Narendra Kashyap, said, “The US decision to impose 50 per cent tariffs is an attempt to affect several Indian sectors. But PM Modi’s leadership has transformed the economy, improving India’s global ranking from 11th to 4th. The continuous push for Swadeshi and self-reliance shows that the government is prepared. PM Modi will surely devise strategies to overcome this challenge.”
Congress leadership, on the other hand, was highly critical of the Union government over the development. Party spokesperson Shama Mohamed term the high US tariffs a “failure of India’s international diplomacy”. “Donald Trump is considered a close friend of PM Modi. When countries like Vietnam and China managed to negotiate tariff reductions, India should have done the same. This move will cause significant economic losses and increase unemployment. The tariffs reportedly relate to India’s oil exports to Russia, yet countries like Turkey also import from Russia without such penalties. Why is India singled out,” she said.
Congress’ Uttar Pradesh chief Ajay Rai condemned the NDA government over the issue, saying, “The economy has completely failed. People are suffering and in pain due to these policies.”
“We cannot expect anything positive from PM Modi now. A viral video shows Trump claiming he gave PM Modi a 24-hour ultimatum, and he surrendered within five hours. The ceasefire was announced. For political power, he will do anything — even at the cost of the nation. We are in an economic and political crisis,” Congress’ Udit Raj said while slamming the Modi government on the issue.