“India won’t bow down”: PM Modi’s sharp message as Trump doubles tariffs
India would put its interests first, even if that means paying a heavy price, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday in remarks seen as a direct response to US President Donald Trump, who slapped a 50 per cent tariff on India for its continued purchases of Russian oil.
Speaking at the MS Swaminathan Centenary International Conference, PM Modi made it clear that he would continue to stand by the country’s farmers and bear the brunt of America’s steepest tariffs. “For us, the interest of our farmers is our top priority,” the PM said. “India will never compromise on the interests of farmers, fishermen and dairy farmers.”
He added, “I know I will have to pay a heavy price for it personally, and I am ready for it. India is ready for it.”
The Prime Minister’s defiant tone came after Trump imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods, pushing the total duty to a staggering 50 per cent, the highest the US has imposed on any country.
The move is widely seen as a direct punishment for India’s refusal to toe the US line on buying Russian oil and military equipment, a sore point that has strained a strategic relationship that was on the up and up.
While calling India a “friend”, Trump warned of a “penalty” for its Moscow liaisons just days ago. On Wednesday, he delivered. The US President has also warned of “secondary sanctions” in the coming days.
Reacting sharply, the Centre called the tariffs “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable”, and vowed to “take all actions necessary to protect its national interests”. It also called out Washington’s double standards in singling it out for Russian oil imports while continuing to buy Russian uranium hexafluoride, palladium and fertiliser.