Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling the Trump administration’s decision to double tariffs on Indian goods to 50% a “foreign policy disaster.”
Kharge criticised the Modi government’s handling of India–US trade relations, alleging that diplomatic failure had led to a massive blow to Indian exports. “You can’t even blame this foreign policy disaster on the last 70 years of Congress rule,” he said in a post on X, claiming the Modi government failed to secure a trade deal with the United States.
The new tariffs, signed through an Executive Order by US President Donald Trump on August 6, are aimed at goods imported from India and are justified on the grounds of national security and foreign policy concerns. Trump has cited India’s increasing oil imports from Russia as an “extraordinary threat” to US interests.
Kharge estimated that the new duties could impose an economic burden of ₹3.75 lakh crore on Indian exporters, impacting critical sectors like MSMEs, agriculture, dairy, engineering goods, electronics, gems and jewellery, pharmaceuticals, petroleum, and textiles.
“Trump is intimidating and coercing us — and you remain silent,” Kharge said, accusing the Prime Minister of inaction.
Kharge also pointed to a lack of preparation by the Modi government despite months of warnings. He recalled that Trump had openly threatened on November 30, 2024, to impose 100% tariffs on BRICS nations, even declaring the bloc “dead” during a summit in Modi’s presence.
“You did nothing in the Union Budget to cushion sectors like agriculture and MSMEs from the impact of reciprocal tariffs. You were smirking while Trump was announcing punitive trade measures,” the Congress leader charged.
Kharge also criticised Modi’s silence over Trump’s claims of brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, suggesting it undermines India’s sovereignty.
“India has always managed its bilateral relations with dignity and self-respect. From facing the 7th Fleet threat in 1971 to enduring post-nuclear sanctions, we have stood firm. Strategic autonomy is our identity,” Kharge said, defending India’s non-alignment stance.
The Ministry of External Affairs called the additional tariffs “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable,” and said India will take all necessary steps to protect its national interest.
Meanwhile, a senior US administration official, speaking to ANI, defended the move by pointing to the disproportionate scale of India’s Russian oil imports.
“There is simply no comparison between the hundreds of billions of dollars of growing Indian imports of Russian oil and the modest U.S. imports of Russian goods, which amount to less than 1% of the value of Indian imports,” the official stated.
