New Delhi, Feb 27 – The Congress on Thursday strongly criticized the Modi government, urging it to take a firm stand against US President Donald Trump’s push for reciprocal tariffs. Party leader Ajoy Kumar accused the government of remaining silent in the face of what he described as "humiliation" by the US, warning that such tariff measures could severely impact India's economy.
Addressing a press conference at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters, Kumar highlighted a contrast between global leaders, referencing a past exchange where French President Emmanuel Macron corrected Trump. In contrast, he claimed, Prime Minister Narendra Modi remained "mum" when Trump spoke negatively about India.
"Trump repeatedly calls India a tariff violator and threatens reciprocal tariffs, yet Modi says nothing. He claims Trump is his best friend, but Trump constantly humiliates India," Kumar remarked.
He warned that removing tariffs on key products would have severe consequences for Indian industries. "If tariffs on apples are removed, apple growers in Himachal will suffer. If tariffs on grapes are eliminated, farmers in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh will bear the brunt. The removal of car tariffs will devastate India's automobile industry," he said. Kumar further warned that an influx of foreign electronic goods could stifle local manufacturing.
Criticizing the Modi government’s trade decisions, Kumar alleged that ahead of Modi’s US visit, India reduced customs duties on Harley Davidson and Tesla products, "despite Trump continuously trying to humiliate our country over tariffs."
He also pointed to stock market instability, asserting that investors were pulling out their money due to uncertainty.
He further questioned whether the Modi government had thoroughly evaluated the potential F-35 fighter jet deal with the US, citing concerns about its design and technology. "Elon Musk has called the F-35 substandard, yet Modi has not ruled out the deal. The government should consult defence experts before making such decisions," Kumar asserted.
With the opposition ramping up criticism, the spotlight is now on the Modi government’s next steps in managing US-India trade relations amid growing economic and diplomatic concerns.
Addressing a press conference at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters, Kumar highlighted a contrast between global leaders, referencing a past exchange where French President Emmanuel Macron corrected Trump. In contrast, he claimed, Prime Minister Narendra Modi remained "mum" when Trump spoke negatively about India.
"Trump repeatedly calls India a tariff violator and threatens reciprocal tariffs, yet Modi says nothing. He claims Trump is his best friend, but Trump constantly humiliates India," Kumar remarked.
He warned that removing tariffs on key products would have severe consequences for Indian industries. "If tariffs on apples are removed, apple growers in Himachal will suffer. If tariffs on grapes are eliminated, farmers in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh will bear the brunt. The removal of car tariffs will devastate India's automobile industry," he said. Kumar further warned that an influx of foreign electronic goods could stifle local manufacturing.
Criticizing the Modi government’s trade decisions, Kumar alleged that ahead of Modi’s US visit, India reduced customs duties on Harley Davidson and Tesla products, "despite Trump continuously trying to humiliate our country over tariffs."
Economic Woes and Stock Market Concerns
Kumar linked Trump's tariff policy to broader economic concerns, alleging that India's GDP could decline by "0.5 to 0.6 per cent", worsening the economic situation. "First demonetization, then flawed GST, an unplanned lockdown, and now this tariff issue – Modi is systematically harming the Indian economy," he claimed.He also pointed to stock market instability, asserting that investors were pulling out their money due to uncertainty.
Congress Questions US Aid to Pakistan
Kumar also slammed the government for its silence over the US allocating Rs 3,000 crore for the maintenance of Pakistan’s F-16 fighter jets, despite past Indian military claims that these jets were used against India. "As soon as Modi returned from his US trip, we saw this announcement. Why hasn’t the Foreign Ministry responded?" he asked.He further questioned whether the Modi government had thoroughly evaluated the potential F-35 fighter jet deal with the US, citing concerns about its design and technology. "Elon Musk has called the F-35 substandard, yet Modi has not ruled out the deal. The government should consult defence experts before making such decisions," Kumar asserted.
Congress Urges Modi to Take a Stand
The Congress party emphasized that reciprocal tariffs contradict global trade norms and urged Modi to remind Trump that “the ‘T’ in WTO stands for Trade, not Trump.” The remarks come as Trump announced plans to increase US tariffs to match those imposed by other countries, potentially escalating global trade tensions.With the opposition ramping up criticism, the spotlight is now on the Modi government’s next steps in managing US-India trade relations amid growing economic and diplomatic concerns.
