New Delhi: As the United States under President Donald Trump slapped a staggering 50% tariff on Indian goods—’punishing’ India for its continued oil imports from Russia—two senior Congress leaders have come out swinging, calling it a major diplomatic failure of Narendra Modi government.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, “You can’t even blame this foreign policy disaster on 70 years of Congress rule.” He mocked Prime Minister Modi’s oft-repeated line of holding the Congress responsible for India’s woes. For Kharge, the tariff hike wasn’t just an economic blow, but a symptom of a broader failure: New Delhi’s inability to maintain balanced and respected global relations under the current regime.
In a post on social media, Kharge invoked India’s long-standing legacy of strategic autonomy and resilience. “From the 7th Fleet in 1971 to sanctions after Pokhran, India has always faced pressure with dignity,” he wrote. “But Trump’s tariffs hit us when our diplomacy is dithering,” he added.
The leader also accused the government of ignoring clear warning signs and failing to take preventive action in the Union Budget to cushion vital sectors such as agriculture and MSMEs.
Echoing Kharge’s sentiment, senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor took a more tactical stance, suggesting India must respond with strength. “Reciprocal tariffs. That’s the only language Trump seems to understand,” he said in an interview with NDTV. With India currently charging 17% tariffs on US imports, Tharoor argued for an equivalent 50% hike if talks fail. “Why should we suffer quietly when the same oil imports by others go unpunished?”
Both leaders framed the issue not just as an economic crisis, but as a moment of truth for India’s foreign policy. For Tharoor, it was also about standing with India’s farmers. “Whether it’s Modi ji’s government or ours, we must stand by our agriculture sector. That’s non-negotiable,” he said, backing Modi’s recent statement on protecting India’s rural economy.
