Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the Modi government after US President Donald Trump’s administration imposed 50% tariffs on Indian imports, warning that the move could cost India an estimated ₹2.17 lakh crore across 10 key sectors.
In a post on X, Kharge accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of failing to protect India’s economic interests despite his close ties with Trump. “Your dear friend ‘Abki Baar, Trump Sarkar’ has imposed 50% tariffs on India starting today. Our farmers, especially cotton farmers, are badly hit. You had promised to pay any ‘personal price’ to protect them, but you have done absolutely nothing to soften the blow,” Kharge wrote.
Citing a Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) report, the Congress chief said that India could suffer a 1% GDP loss, with China standing to benefit from the shift. He also highlighted the adverse impact on MSMEs, export-oriented industries, and job security.
“The textile sector alone faces potential job losses of around 500,000, while the gems and jewellery sector risks 150,000–200,000 job cuts. Nearly 100,000 diamond workers in Gujarat’s Saurashtra region have already lost jobs since April, when a 10% tariff was imposed,” Kharge noted.
He further flagged that the livelihoods of over half a million shrimp farmers, and another 2.5 million indirectly linked to the sector, are under serious threat.
“Indian national interest is supreme. A robust foreign policy needs depth and strategy, but your superficial engagements—smiles, hugs, selfies—have hurt our interests. You failed to secure a trade deal, and now you are failing to protect our country,” Kharge said.
The new tariffs, effective August 27 under Trump’s Executive Order 14329, cover all Indian products entering or cleared for consumption in the United States. The move is expected to hit India’s low-margin, labour-intensive export sectors the hardest.
