Congress MP Shashi Tharoor fiercely criticized US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose a 50% tariff on Indian goods, calling it a sign that the US has “changed its attitude” toward its strategic partner. Speaking outside Parliament in New Delhi, the Thiruvananthapuram MP condemned the tariffs, which escalated from 25% to 50% on August 7, as “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable,” targeting India’s imports of Russian oil. Tharoor warned that the move threatens the vital US-India partnership, crucial for technology, education, and military cooperation.

Tharoor urged India to diversify its trade, emphasizing that the $90 billion US market, part of the $131.8 billion bilateral trade in 2024-25, should not be India’s sole focus. “We’ve signed a Free Trade Agreement with the UK, where 99% of our goods face no tariffs, and we’re in talks with the EU, Africa, and Asia,” he said, advocating for new markets to offset the tariff’s impact on sectors like textiles, gems, jewelry, shrimp, leather, footwear, chemicals, and machinery.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi echoed India’s resolve, stating on August 7 that New Delhi would not yield to economic pressure. Tharoor, while noting Trump’s “transactional” deal-making style, suggested the tariffs might be a negotiating tactic but stressed India’s self-respect. “If this is how they value our relationship, we must rethink our assumptions,” he said, proposing reciprocal 50% tariffs on US goods, currently taxed at an average of 17%.

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Tharoor also highlighted US double standards, pointing out that the US imports uranium, palladium, and fertilizers from Russia—worth over $2.4 billion from January to May 2025—while giving China, a larger Russian oil buyer, a 90-day tariff reprieve compared to India’s 21-day window. “How can Trump claim our dollars fuel Russia’s war but not his own?” he asked, calling for firm negotiations to protect India’s interests.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs labeled the tariffs a blow to a partnership it still considers strategic, vowing to take “all actions necessary” to safeguard national interests. With trade talks stalled until the tariff dispute is resolved, Tharoor emphasized resilience: “If cooperation on AI and technology remains intact, we can isolate the tariff issue; otherwise, it’s a serious setback.”

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