New Delhi, Aug 11 — From McDonald’s and Coca-Cola to Amazon and Apple, several U.S. multinationals are facing boycott calls in India amid growing anti-American sentiment fueled by recent U.S. tariffs on Indian goods.
The protests follow former U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to impose a 50% tariff on imports from India, a move that has unsettled exporters and strained New Delhi–Washington ties. In response, pro-government groups and Indian entrepreneurs have urged consumers to shun foreign brands in favor of local products.
India, the world’s most populous nation, has long been a lucrative market for American brands. Meta’s WhatsApp has more users in India than anywhere else, Domino’s operates more outlets here than in any other country, and Coca-Cola and Pepsi dominate beverage shelves. New Apple store openings and Starbucks discount days often draw queues.
While there are no immediate signs of a sales impact, calls to “buy local” have gained traction on social media and in public demonstrations. The Swadeshi Jagran Manch, a group linked to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, held rallies across several cities on Sunday, distributing lists of Indian-made alternatives to foreign soaps, toothpastes, and soft drinks.
“People are now looking at Indian products. It will take some time to fructify,” said Ashwani Mahajan, the group’s co-convenor. “This is a call for nationalism, patriotism.”
Entrepreneurs have also joined the campaign. Manish Chowdhary, co-founder of Wow Skin Science, posted a video urging consumers to make “Made in India” a “global obsession,” citing South Korea’s global success in food and beauty products. “We have proudly spent on brands that we don’t own, while our own makers fight for attention in their own country,” he said.
Rahm Shastry, CEO of DriveU, wrote on LinkedIn that India should develop home-grown social media and tech platforms to rival Twitter, Google, YouTube, WhatsApp, and Facebook, much like China has done.
Prime Minister Modi, speaking in Bengaluru on Sunday, called for greater self-reliance without naming specific companies. “Now is the time for us to give more priority to India’s needs,” he told a gathering.
Despite the tensions, Tesla inaugurated its second showroom in India on Monday in New Delhi, an event attended by both Indian commerce ministry and U.S. embassy officials.
Not all consumers are swayed by the boycott message. Rajat Gupta, 37, sipping coffee at a McDonald’s in Lucknow, said he was indifferent to tariff politics. “Tariffs are a matter of diplomacy and my McPuff, coffee should not be dragged into it,” he said.
McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Amazon, and Apple did not respond to requests for comment.
