New Delhi, July 30: The Congress on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a 25 per cent tariff and additional penalty on Indian imports, accusing the Prime Minister of staying silent in the face of repeated “insults” from Washington.
Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said PM Modi’s belief that silence on contentious US actions would earn India special treatment had clearly backfired. “President Trump has slapped a tariff of 25 per cent plus penalty on imports from India. All that tariff between him and ‘Howdy Modi’ has meant little,” Ramesh said in a statement.
Referring to recent developments in US foreign policy and its perceived tilt towards Pakistan, Ramesh accused Modi of failing to defend India’s strategic interests. He pointed to what he called a pattern of American slights, including “30 claims of stopping Operation Sindoor,” and the “special lunch for the Pakistan Army Chief,” who allegedly made inflammatory remarks days before the Pahalgam terror attacks.
“Mr Modi thought that if he kept quiet on the insults that the US President has hurled on India… India would get special treatment at the hands of President Trump. Clearly that has NOT happened,” Ramesh said.
Drawing a parallel with the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who is often remembered for her assertive foreign policy, Ramesh said, “He (Modi) should take inspiration from Indira Gandhi and stand up to the US President.”
The Congress’s remarks come a day after President Trump, in a post on Truth Social, declared that from August 1, Indian imports would be subject to a 25 per cent tariff. Trump also announced an additional penalty for India’s continued purchases of Russian arms and oil.
“While India is our friend, we have done relatively little business with them because their Tariffs are far too high… India will therefore be paying a tariff of 25%, plus a penalty… starting on August 1,” Trump wrote.
He accused India of maintaining “the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary Trade Barriers of any country” and reiterated long-standing complaints that India sources most of its military equipment and energy needs from Russia — a country under heavy Western sanctions due to its invasion of Ukraine.
“ALL THINGS NOT GOOD,” Trump concluded, ending his post with a trademark “THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. MAGA!”
The announcement comes despite the Modi government’s efforts to negotiate a bilateral trade deal with Washington. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in a statement to the Rajya Sabha earlier this week, confirmed that five rounds of talks had already taken place, and a sixth is scheduled for late August.
“We are negotiating a trade agreement (with the US)… we have national interest at heart. We are negotiating an agreement that will serve our national interest,” Jaishankar said.
However, core disagreements remain, particularly in agriculture and dairy — sectors where India has refused to open up to US exporters, citing domestic livelihoods and food security.
The opposition’s critique also targeted the optics of Modi’s diplomacy, including the much-publicised ‘Howdy Modi’ event in Texas in 2019, where Trump and Modi shared a stage and declared a “new era” in US-India relations.
Congress leaders argue that such public displays of camaraderie have done little to shield India from harsh trade actions. “The Prime Minister bet heavily on personal chemistry with Trump, and that gamble has failed,” said a senior Congress leader, requesting anonymity.
The penalties announced by Trump are notable not just for their economic impact, but also for how they mix trade policy with geopolitical pressure — particularly regarding India’s ties with Russia.
India remains one of Russia’s largest energy buyers and continues to purchase defence equipment from Moscow, maintaining what it calls a long-standing strategic partnership. While the US has tolerated these ties to a degree, Trump’s latest message suggests that continued engagement with Russia could now carry direct economic costs.
“This is coercive diplomacy disguised as trade policy,” said a former Indian ambassador to the US. “It’s clear that Washington wants to draw lines around India’s autonomy in strategic decision-making.”
The imposition of tariffs and penalties comes at a delicate time. With elections in both countries drawing closer, and with India striving to balance multiple global partnerships, the latest friction could complicate diplomatic ties further.
Indian exporters are likely to feel the immediate pinch, particularly in pharmaceuticals, textiles, steel, and information technology — all sectors heavily reliant on the US market. Meanwhile, negotiations on the long-stalled trade deal may now face additional pressure and delay.
Still, the Modi government has yet to issue an official response to Trump’s announcement. Whether it decides to hit back with retaliatory tariffs or seeks a quieter diplomatic route remains to be seen.
For now, the Congress’s message is unambiguous: silence has yielded no favour, and the time to assert India’s interests — both politically and economically — is now.
