Ex-PM Deve Gowda slams Trump's India jibe, calls Opposition his deluded spokesperson
advertisementTaking a dig at Trump's diplomatic record, Gowda added, 'Modern history has not seen another head of state so erratic. He has not only behaved badly with India but with every other country across the world—including his own allies.'
He added, 'Even a small trader and a poor farmer in India, who conducts his business with great dignity, integrity and humanity, can teach many lessons to Mr. Trump.'The veteran leader accused Trump of offending not just India but several countries across the world, including long-standing allies. 'There is something fundamentally wrong with him for which reason, diplomacy or statecraft cannot diagnose and address,' Gowda said.He praised the Modi government for not succumbing to external pressure. 'India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has not compromised our national interest. It has not blinked to Mr. Trump's bullying and has shown that it will never be dictated by threat.'Deve Gowda also lauded the government's efforts to protect the agricultural sector and small and medium businesses, which he said are the backbone of the Indian economy. 'The firm stand that the Modi government has taken will lead to a national resurgence of an unprecedented scale,' he added.Taking a swipe at Opposition leaders who appeared to support Trump's remarks, Gowda warned them against aligning with what he called 'deluded spokespersons.' 'They should not harm themselves and their parties, and end up very soon in the dustbin of history alongside Mr. Trump,' he said.This came after Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, backed Trump's criticism, saying, 'Yes, he is right Everybody knows that the Indian economy is a dead economy. I'm glad President Trump has stated a fact.'- Ends
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
a few seconds ago
- Business Standard
US sees 16x visa spike in Re 1 sale; Vietnam, SA among top picks: Atlys
A two-day visa sale offering international visas and appointments for just ₹1 saw thousands of Indian travellers applying to visit countries including the United States, South Africa, Vietnam, Indonesia and the UAE. The campaign, run by travel platform Atlys on August 4 and 5, marked what the company claims is India's first-ever visa sale. Demand spiked across both metro and smaller cities, with strong interest from first-time international travellers, millennials and Gen Z users. Which countries saw the most visa applications? The United States topped the chart on Atlys during the ₹1 visa sale, followed by South Africa, Vietnam, Indonesia and the UAE. South Africa, in particular, saw a 22x spike in visa applications over its daily average. Other destinations also saw sharp increases: United States: 16x growth Bali: 4.8x Vietnam: 4.5x Sri Lanka: 4.2x Where did the surge come from? Metro cities recorded a clear jump. Bangalore led with an 11.5x increase in visa applications, followed by Mumbai (7.84x) and Delhi NCR (6.54x). Tier 2 cities also registered strong activity. Mohali and Surat stood out, each with around 6.4x growth in applications. Tier 1 average: 7x growth Tier 2 average: 5x growth Who applied and where were they going? Millennials drove 50 per cent of all applications, followed by Gen Z at 37 per cent. The remaining 13 per cent came from other age groups, according to Atlys. Around 20 per cent of applicants were first-time international travellers. Popular destinations for this group included South Africa, Vietnam, Indonesia and Hong Kong—places considered relatively affordable or with higher approval rates. Gender data showed: • 62 per cent of applications came from men; 38 per cent from women • Women preferred the US, South Africa, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka and Vietnam • Men showed broader preferences, favouring the US, South Africa, UAE, Indonesia and Vietnam The company saw a sharp rise in new users during the event, alongside continued activity from returning applicants. However, the Re 1 offer did not cover everything. 'Consulate and biometric fees will have to be paid directly by the applicant at the processing centre and were not included in the promotion,' Nahta clarified. According to a 2024 report by the European Commission and Condé Nast Traveller, Indian applicants lost over Rs 664 crore globally in non-refundable visa fees that year. These include payments made for applications that were either refused or withdrawn, as well as fees kept by private agents. 'We didn't just bring down costs; we opened up possibilities,' said Mohak Nahta, founder and CEO of Atlys. 'The surge in demand from new users, first-time travellers, and users from cities large and small shows just how ready India is to explore the world.' Note: The data by Atlys only shows the number of visas applied for and not the number of visas approved as that is in the jurisdiction of the embassies and consulates of the concerned countries.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
a few seconds ago
- Business Standard
US tariffs could threaten $30 billion in Indian electronics exports
India's electronics sector could lose an estimated $20–30 billion in business opportunities over the next few years, as rising tariffs imposed by the United States threaten to derail non-smartphone exports. According to a report by The Economic Times, the potential inclusion of semiconductors under the high-duty regime is expected to exacerbate the impact. Smartphones may escape tariffs, rest may not While smartphone giants such as Apple and Samsung may be granted tariff exemptions—owing to their announced investments in the US—most other electronics exports from India remain vulnerable. These include sectors like electric inverters, battery chargers, transformer parts, and IT hardware, all of which now face tariffs as high as 50 per cent. In the financial year 2024–25 (FY25), India exported $14.6 billion worth of electronics to the US. Smartphones accounted for $10.5 billion, or approximately 72 per cent of that figure. The remaining $4.1 billion, made up of non-smartphone products, is largely exposed to the newly enforced duties, with further increases likely due to the planned semiconductor-specific tariffs. US share in Indian electronics exports: 38 per cent The United States remains India's top export destination for electronics, accounting for 38 per cent of the country's total electronics exports of $38.6 billion in FY25. The UAE followed with 9.6 per cent, the Netherlands with 7.4 per cent, and the UK with 4.8 per cent. Several of these countries also function as transit hubs for shipments ultimately destined for the US, amplifying the reach of these tariffs. The US Customs and Border Protection agency's exemption list, released on April 5, provides relief only for select categories such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, servers, and certain telecom equipment. All other electronic goods are subject to a 50 per cent tariff, split into 25 per cent reciprocal duties already in effect and an additional 25 per cent secondary tariff set to take effect on August 27. The secondary tariff is specifically intended to penalise India's continued imports of Russian oil. The industry had previously set an ambitious target of reaching $80 billion in electronics exports to the US by 2030. However, that goal now appears at risk, with high tariffs rendering most non-smartphone segments uncompetitive. Electronics $80 bn export goal at risk The electronics industry had set a target of reaching $80 billion in exports to the US by 2030. But with the new tariff structure rendering most non-smartphone goods uncompetitive, industry players fear a long-term derailment of that goal. Gems, garments, machinery also hit Electronics are not the only sector hit. The new tariff regime affects nine major export categories: gems and jewellery, garments, made-ups, organic chemicals, machinery, furniture, shrimp, and carpets. The jewellery sector is already witnessing a sharp decline in shipments, with the effective duty now at 31.5 per cent and set to rise to 55.5 per cent post-August 27. Industry think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) estimates exports in these categories could fall by 50–70 per cent. Garment firms weigh relocation Exporters like Pearl Global, which supplies to Gap and Kohl's, say clients are demanding that suppliers absorb the cost or shift production to other countries. The firm is reportedly considering moving operations to Bangladesh, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Guatemala to retain US orders. Cascading impact on India's export economy With US buyers pausing or redirecting orders, the new tariffs are expected to have a cascading effect on India's broader export economy, endangering growth projections and job creation across critical sectors.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
a few seconds ago
- Business Standard
Got directly involved when India, Pakistan went to war, says Marco Rubio
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday (IST) said that Washington was directly involved when India and Pakistan went to war, adding that President Donald Trump was able to broker peace between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. Rubio made these remarks in an interview with EWTN's The World Over and said that Trump is committed to bringing peace and being the 'President of peace'. He said, 'So, we saw when India and Pakistan went to war, we got involved directly, and the President was able to deliver on that peace.' Since India and Pakistan reached an understanding to stop full-scale military actions on May 10, the US President, on several occasions, claimed that he helped in de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, and told the two nuclear-armed neighbours that the US would do a lot of trade if the conflict were brought to an end. Operation Sindoor On the intervening night of May 6 and May 7, the Indian armed forces launched a coordinated missile strike on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The coordinated strikes under the codename ' Operation Sindoor ' were in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists. What followed was four days of escalations between India and Pakistan across the Line of Control (LoC). On May 10, both nations agreed to a ceasefire. While India has repeatedly denied Trump's claim of intervening in the conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir thanked the US for playing the role of a mediator. Munir made these remarks after he was hosted by Trump at the White House for lunch in June. Other conflicts resolved by Trump He further said that the US was proud of those initiatives, and is looking for more, the big one being in Ukraine and Russia. 'We dedicate a significant amount of time to stopping and ending wars,' Rubio said. Russia-Ukraine conflict The conflict between Russia and Ukraine entered its fourth year in February 2025 with no end in sight. Trump, who once vowed to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict in just 24 hours of taking office, has been trying to broker a deal between the two countries for over eight months now. Trump, who once supported the Russian President Vladimir Putin and shunned the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, later shifted stance and expressed his disappointment with Putin, while simultaneously allowing the US to send weapons to Ukraine.
