NEW DELHI– Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday called for a strong reciprocal response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat of steep import duties on Indian goods, urging the Indian government to consider imposing a 50 percent tariff on American imports if diplomatic efforts fail.
Tharoor criticized the U.S. move as unfair and discriminatory, noting that other nations such as China and Turkey continue to import Russian oil without facing similar punitive measures.
India has officially described the tariff threat as “extremely unfortunate,” arguing it is being penalized for actions that many other countries are also undertaking in their national interest.
Speaking to reporters, Tharoor said, “This will undoubtedly have a serious impact. We have $90 billion in trade with the United States. If everything becomes 50 percent more expensive, American buyers will ask themselves why they should continue purchasing Indian products. Countries like Vietnam, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and China could easily undercut us in price, pushing Indian goods out of the U.S. market.”
He condemned the additional 25 percent tariff announced by Trump, linking it to India’s continued oil and gas trade with Russia. “But China is buying nearly twice as much Russian oil as we are,” he added, “and they’ve been given 90 days of leeway, while we were only given three weeks. That suggests there’s another message from Washington that our government must recognize and address.”
Calling for reciprocity, Tharoor said, “If the U.S. proceeds with this, we should impose a 50 percent tariff on their exports too. No foreign leader has the right to threaten us. That’s completely unacceptable. I believe every Indian would agree—we must stand united on this issue.”
He also pointed out the disparity in current tariff rates: “India only charges about 17 percent on most U.S. imports. Yet President Trump is fighting back with a 50 percent tariff. If they claim it’s about reciprocity, then why should we stick to 17 percent? We have every right to raise our tariffs to match.”
Despite his strong criticism, Tharoor emphasized that he is not advocating for unnecessary conflict.
“India and the U.S. have long enjoyed a strong and strategic partnership. We are both members of the Quad, and we cooperate in areas like defense, artificial intelligence, and more. I don’t want to see this relationship damaged over trade alone,” he said. “But this provocation came from their side. If the U.S. no longer values our relationship, we shouldn’t overvalue it either.” (Source: IANS)
