US action unjust, comprehensive reset of India's foreign policy needed: Congress
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After the imposition of an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods entering the US, the Congress on Wednesday called the action "unjust" and "economic blackmail" aimed at bullying India into an unfair trade deal, even as it hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying his "personalised" and "headline-grabbing style of huglomacy" has been an "abysmal failure".The opposition party also sought a comprehensive reset of India's foreign policy and administration.The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, said, "(Donald) Trump's 50 per cent tariff is economic blackmail -- an attempt to bully India into an unfair trade deal.""PM Modi better not let his weakness override the interests of the Indian people," Gandhi said in a post on X.Noting that US President Donald Trump has hit India "hard and unjustly", Congress general secretary (communications), Jairam Ramesh, called for a comprehensive reset of India's foreign policy and said Prime Minister Modi should shed his ego and take inspiration from Indira Gandhi in the manner she stood up to the US' "bullying" in the 1970s."Now President Trump, while still claiming to be a friend of Mr Modi, has hit India hard and unjustly. While his tariff and penalty actions are simply unacceptable, the fact remains that they also reflect the abysmal failure of Mr Modi's personalised and headline-grabbing style of huglomacy," Ramesh said in a post on X."India stood up to the bullying of the US in the 1970s, especially under the prime ministership of Smt. Indira Gandhi. Instead of defaming, distorting, and denigrating her, Mr Modi should shed his ego -- if indeed that were possible -- and take inspiration from the manner in which she stood up to the USA. India's foreign policy and administration needs a comprehensive reset," Ramesh said.Recalling past events under the Modi government, the Congress leader said the prime minister went to the US and attended a 'Howdy Modi' event in Houston in September 2019."President Trump was also present and Mr Modi broke with all tradition and declared 'Ab ki Baar, Trump Sarkar'," he said.In February 2020, Ramesh said, President Trump was hosted by Modi to a gala 'Namaste Trump' event in Ahmedabad and in February 2025, "much was made of the fact that Modi was among the earliest heads of government who met President Trump in his second innings".Earlier, it was said that the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had a front row seat at President Trump's inauguration and was the first to meet Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Congress general secretary said, taking a dig at the government."Mr Modi wooed Elon Musk and his family as well, at a time when Mr Musk was very close to President Trump. The wooing of Mr Musk was part of Mr Modi's strategy to please President Trump."Mr Modi has time and again flaunted his supposedly close friendship with President Trump. On Feb 14, 2025, he had shown off his knowledge of algebra by telling President Trump that MAGA + MIGA = MEGA," the Congress general secretary said.He also said Prime Minister Modi kept completely quiet even as President Trump claimed "33 times" that he intervened to bring about a ceasefire between India and Pakistan."There was total silence from the PM and his close circle when President Trump hosted Pakistan's chief of army staff Field Marshal Asim Munir to lunch on June 18, 2025, at the White House. This was the same person whose inflammatory and communally poisonous remarks provided the backdrop to the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, 2025."President Trump has destroyed WTO. India did not protest. President Trump has withdrawn from WHO, UNESCO, and the Paris Climate Accord. India has remained a mute onlooker," Ramesh said.Another Congress leader, Supriya Shrinate, said the 50 per cent tariff imposition is "disastrous for our economy, our exports, production, jobs. Mr Modi speak up -- it's time you do".US President Trump on Wednesday slapped an additional 25 per cent tariff on goods coming from India as penalty for New Delhi's continued buying of Russian oil.Trump signed an executive order imposing the additional tariff less than 14 hours before his initial tariffs were to come into effect.After the order, the total tariff on Indian goods, barring a small exemption list, will be 50 per cent.While the initial duty becomes effective on August 7, the additional levy will come into effect after 21 days. PTI
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