"Ready To Pay Personal Price": PM Modi's Strong Message Over Trump Tariffs
Sending a strong message the day after US President Donald Trump ratcheted up the tariff war against India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed that India will never compromise with the interests of its farmers and fishermen. The Prime Minister said that while he knows he will "have to pay the price", he was ready to do it for farmers.
Addressing the MS Swaminathan Centenary International Conference at Delhi, the Prime Minister said, "The interest of farmers is our top priority. India will never compromise with the interests of its farmers, livestock holders, and fishermen. And I know that I will have to pay a huge price for this personally, but I am ready. India is ready, for the sake of the country's farmers, fishermen and livestock holders," the Prime Minister said, minutes after Trump's tariffs kicked in.
Paying his respects to MS Swaminathan, the architect of the Green Revolution, the Prime Minister said, "Building on the legacy of food security, the next frontier for our agricultural scientists is ensuring nutritional security for all."
India exports a wide variety of agricultural products to the US and is one of the sectors set to bear the brunt of Trump's tariffs.
Donald Trump yesterday announced an extra 25 per cent tariff on Indian exports as 'penalty' for New Delhi continuing to import Russian crude oil. Earlier, US had imposed 25 per cent tariffs on Indian exports on July 20.
With the total tariffs on Indian exports to the US rising to 50 per cent, the Ministry of External Affairs responded that the US targeting India over Russian oil imports is "unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable".
"We have already made clear our position on these issues, including the fact that our imports are based on market factors and done with the overall objective of ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion people of India. It is therefore extremely unfortunate that the US should choose to impose additional tariffs on India for actions that several other countries are also taking in their own national interest," it said, stressing that India "will take all actions necessary to protect its national interests".
Ties between India and the US have been uneasy in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, India's counterstrike after the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam that left 26 innocents dead. Trump has repeatedly claimed that he brokered the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, a claim denied by the Narendra Modi government. "We had said from day one that our action was non-escalatory. No leader in the world asked us to stop Operation Sindoor," Prime Minister Modi said during the Operation Sindoor debate in Parliament. Tariff hikes have followed these claims.
Trump's tariffs also play out against the backdrop of the pause on talks on an India-US trade deal. Washington DC was pushing for more access to India's agricultural market, a move New Delhi has resisted to safeguard farmers.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
11 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
India faces tough choices amid US tariff pressure. What's ahead for New Delhi?
NEW DELHI: India faces an ultimatum from the United States with major political and economic ramifications both at home and abroad: end purchases of Russian oil or face painful tariffs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leader of the world's most populous nation and its fifth-biggest economy, must make some difficult decisions. US President Donald Trump has given longstanding ally India, one of the world's largest crude oil importers, three weeks to find alternative suppliers. Levies of 25 percent already in place will double to 50 percent if India doesn't strike a deal. For Trump, the August 27 deadline is a bid to strip Moscow of a key source of revenue for its military offensive in Ukraine. "It is a geopolitical ambush with a 21-day fuse", said Syed Akbaruddin, a former Indian diplomat to the United Nations, writing in the Times of India newspaper. How has India responded? New Delhi called Washington's move "unfair, unjustified and unreasonable", while Modi has appeared defiant. He has not spoken directly about Trump but said on Thursday "India will never compromise" on the interests of its farmers. Agriculture employs vast numbers of people in India and has been a key sticking point in trade negotiations. It all seems a far cry from India's early hopes for special tariff treatment after Trump said in February he had found a "special bond" with Modi. "The resilience of US-India relations... is now being tested more than at any other time over the last 20 years," said Michael Kugelman, from the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada.
Hindustan Times
11 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Xi holds phone call with Putin, says 'glad to see US, Russia maintaining contact'
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday held a phone call with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin and said that he was glad to see that Moscow and Washington have maintained dialogue despite their differences, China's state broadcaster CCTV reported. Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands at the Kremlin in Moscow.(AP) Xinping also said that his country was committed to promoting peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
Time of India
11 minutes ago
- Time of India
Navi Technologies renamed to Navi
Navi Technologies has announced that it has officially changed its name to Navi , aligned with the company's evolution from a technology-led disruptor to a holistic financial services destination built around the needs of Indian consumers. The rebranding underscores the company's focus to position itself as an integrated, customer-centric institution encompassing lending, insurance, asset management and UPI services, committed to making money simple, seamless and accessible for millions of Indians. 'The new name fits who we are today. Not only are we a technology provider, we are a full-fledged destination for financial services for our customers,' said Sachin Bansal, Founder and Executive Chairman of Navi Group . 'It signals both simplification and scale - two ideas core to our philosophy.' Rajiv Naresh, managing director and chief executive officer of Navi added, 'This change aligns with the company's evolution. While technology remains core to how we build, our focus today is broader. The new name reflects the company we've become: more integrated, more customer-focused, and ready for the next phase of growth.' Navi's offerings are built to serve Indians across every stage of their financial journey whether they're just starting out with digital payments via UPI or planning for long-term goals through investments and insurance. The focus is a unified, seamless experience anchored in transparency, speed, and trust. The name change is also aligned with Navi's longer-term roadmap - continued focus on sustained value creation for its users and stakeholders. Customers and partners will see the change reflected in official communications, app interfaces and brand assets over the coming weeks. The company's operations, leadership, and business priorities remain unchanged.
