Following US President Donald Trump's announcement of a 25 per cent tariff plus penalty on Indian imports, a decision set to take effect on August 1, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh issued a strong criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Ramesh's remarks were a direct response to Trump's justification for the tariffs, which cited India's high trade barriers and its continued military and energy ties with Russia. In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump had written, "Remember, while India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the world, and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary trade barriers of any country."
He also criticised India for buying a "vast majority of their military equipment from Russia" and being one of Russia's "largest energy buyers, along with China," at a time when the world wants Russia to stop the conflict in Ukraine. Jairam Ramesh mocked the apparent camaraderie between the two world leaders, specifically referencing the 'Howdy Modi' event. He stated that "All that taarif [praise] between him and Howdy Modi has meant little."
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The Congress leader accused Prime Minister Modi of having a policy of silence on several key issues in the hope of receiving special diplomatic treatment from the US. He pointed to what he called 'insults' from the US President, including Trump's repeated claims of halting 'Operation Sindoor,' a high-profile military operation by India. Ramesh also mentioned a 'special lunch for the Pakistan Army Chief whose inflammatory remarks provided the immediate backdrop to the brutal Pahalgam terror attacks,' and US support for financial packages to Pakistan from the IMF and the World Bank.
Ramesh concluded that Modi's strategy of staying quiet did not yield the desired results. "Clearly that has NOT happened," he wrote. He then urged the Prime Minister to "take inspiration from Indira Gandhi and stand up to the US President," referencing the former Prime Minister's firm stance against U.S. pressure during her tenure.
Also Read: Trump slaps 25% tariff and penalty on India starting August 1
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