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Kept quiet on insults: Congress slams PM Modi after Trump imposes 25% tariff

Kept quiet on insults: Congress slams PM Modi after Trump imposes 25% tariff

India Today30-07-2025
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh took a sharp swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi following US President Donald Trump's announcement of a 25% tariff on Indian goods, effective August 1.Ramesh mocked the bonhomie shared between the two leaders, referencing the "Howdy Modi" event and other moments of camaraderie, saying, "All that taarif between him and Howdy Modi has meant little."He pointed to Trump's repeated claims of halting Operation Sindoor, a high-profile US-Pakistan lunch that featured the Pakistan Army Chief soon after the Pahalgam terror attacks, and Washington's continued support for IMF and World Bank financial packages to Pakistan. Despite these developments, Ramesh said, Modi chose silence — expecting diplomatic rewards that never came."Mr. Modi thought that if he kept quiet on the insults that the US President has hurled on India -- the 30 claims of stopping Op Sindoor, the special lunch for the Pakistan Army Chief whose inflammatory remarks provided the immediate backdrop to the brutal Pahalgam terror attacks, and US support for financial packages to Pakistan from the IMF and the World Bank --- India would get special treatment at the hands of President Trump. Clearly that has NOT happened."advertisementHe added that the PM should take inspiration from Indira Gandhi and stand up to the US President.Jairam Ramesh's reaction came after Trump emphasised that while India is considered a friend, trade relations between the two countries have remained limited due to what he described as excessive tariffs and restrictive non-monetary barriers. He justified the new trade barrier by accusing India of unfair trade practices and close ties with Russia.
'Remember, while India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their tariffs are far too high — among the highest in the world — and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary trade barriers of any country,' Trump wrote.He further criticised India's continued military and energy ties with Russia, especially amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.'They have always bought the vast majority of their military equipment from Russia and are one of Russia's largest energy buyers, along with China — all things not good!' he said.Concluding his statement with his trademark sign-off, Trump announced: 'India will therefore be paying a tariff of 25%, plus a penalty for the above, starting on August 1st. Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAGA!'- Ends
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