Latest news with #MIGA
New Indian Express
20 hours ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Swadeshi Jagran Manch launches campaign to boycott foreign goods, boost self-reliance
NEW DELHI: Amid escalating developments stemming from US-imposed tariffs on India, the RSS-affiliated Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) has launched a nationwide campaign urging citizens to boycott foreign products and embrace indigenous (Swadeshi) goods. The campaign gained momentum on Sunday with a symbolic demonstration held under the 'Swadeshi, Suraksha and Swavlamban' campaign in Connaught Place and its surrounding areas. Its aim is to inspire a mass movement advocating the use of domestically produced goods. Dr Ashwani Mahajan, National Co-convener of the Swadeshi Jagran Manch, in a statement welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi's emphasis on Swadeshi products, said that the organisation firmly believes that the nation's prosperity lies in self-reliance and the use of indigenous products. "In the current circumstances of global uncertainties, where global value chains, payment systems and global currencies are all being weaponised, the USA and other countries are becoming more and more protectionist and blocking global exports using tariff walls and unjust non-tariff barriers, goods are being dumped based on excess capacities by some countries, especially China, and conspiracy to eliminate our manufacturing, Swadeshi can be an important means of protecting our national interests," the RSS-affiliated SJM stated. With the launch of the 'Swadeshi Suraksha evam Swavalamban Abhiyaan' on 12 June 2025, in collaboration with a wide network of traders, industry associations and social organisations, the Swadeshi movement has received renewed impetus. The objective is to raise awareness throughout the country to support the vision of making India great again — what the Prime Minister refers to as 'MIGA'.
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First Post
31-07-2025
- Business
- First Post
Is Maga sign off on 25% India tariff Trump's response to PM Modi's Miga pitch or is he playing to the gallery?
Trump's 25% tariff on India and MAGA sign-off sparks questions: Is it policy pushback against MIGA, or a performance for US voters ahead of elections? read more US President Donald Trump's abrupt imposition of a 25% tariff on all Indian imports and his brash 'MAGA!' sign-off has raised sharp questions about America's true intent: is this really about protecting US economic interests, or is Trump signalling to his political base just as much as he's responding to India's MEGA partnership push? Heavy-handed tariff, personal diplomacy undone Trump announcement to slap a sweeping 25% tariff on Indian imports beginning August 1, heaping on an additional 'penalty' for New Delhi's military and oil purchases from Russia. The move, which Trump justified by citing India's 'strenuous and obnoxious' trade barriers and non-tariff hurdles, stung especially after he started his announcement calling India 'our friend'. Yet, what set this measure apart from similar tariffs on other nations was Trump's conspicuous sign-off—MAGA ('Make America Great Again')—at the very end of his decree, a slogan with loaded domestic political meaning. Five months ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had projected his own vision during a state visit to the US: 'In India, we are working towards a Viksit Bharat, which in the American context translates into Make India Great Again (MIGA),' he said, explicitly linking the two leaders' slogans in hopes of forging a 'MEGA partnership'. At the time, both leaders touted a 'MEGA' partnership anchored in prosperity and trade expansion. The optics of that ambitious pitch are now in tatters. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Why the MAGA sign‑off? While the new 25% US tariff is roughly in line with duties Trump has levied on other Asian exporters this year, the 'penalty' for buying Russian arms and oil appears custom-tailored for India, further amplifying the sense of a bilateral rift. Analysts note this approach is in line with Trump's long-standing grievance that India is a 'tariff king' which keeps US goods out while flooding America with its own, echoing criticisms dating back to his first presidential term. The agricultural and dairy sectors proved insurmountable sticking points: India's reluctance to open its vast rural market to US subsidised produce remains politically non-negotiable, with over 700 million livelihoods at stake. This 'red line' is partly why trade talks dragged on even as both leaders professed friendship and strategic cooperation. Yet, the MAGA-centric post stood out because Trump had not concluded earlier tariff threats on countries like South Korea, the Philippines or Egypt, with the same US-first bluster. Indian commentators and US-watchers see a calculated message: Trump is playing to his domestic gallery, reaffirming that even so-called 'friends' must ultimately yield to America's interests, especially in the run-up to a tough election season. There's a deeper context: MAGA supporters had recently criticised Trump for being 'soft' on India, especially after the appointment of a Chennai-born tech executive to head US AI policy and his earlier hints at easing immigration curbs for skilled Indian workers. With negotiations still underway and a new deadline looming, the move begs the question: is Trump responding to Modi's MIGA vision, or merely performing for his electoral gallery? India stands firm India's government has indicated that it's carefully reviewing the tariff implications while reaffirming its commitment to a 'fair, balanced and mutually beneficial' trade agreement with the US. Some experts believe the tariffs are part of a negotiation tactic dubbed the 'TACO trade' — Trump Always Chickens Out, where threats escalate before backing off to secure deals under pressure. As Trump signals potential flexibility, suggesting cuts to Indian tariffs in return for wider concessions, the interplay of slogans and substance continues to unfold. Whether MAGA was a strategic policy pivot or political posturing remains open to interpretation, just like the final outcome of the India–US trade standoff. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
India Today
30-07-2025
- Business
- India Today
Trump signed off India tariff bomb with MAGA. What's the message?
It wasn't as if no one saw this coming. The signs were clear. The warnings, not-so-subtle. On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump once again threatened to slap 25 per cent tariffs on Indian goods. And then, the inevitable finally dropped the bomb on Wednesday, imposing a 25 per cent tariff on Indian imports to the US—plus a penalty for buying military equipment and energy from though Trump began by calling India "our friend" in his Truth Social post, his close aide Lindsey Graham's warning to BRICS countries a week ago—that the US President intends to crush their economies, including India's—suggests otherwise. However, in a quizzical move, Trump signed off his tariff announcement to India by writing 'MAGA!' at the tariff structure has drawn repeated criticism from Trump, dating back to his first term and even before he took oath for the second, with him calling New Delhi a "very big abuser" when it comes to levying duties on US after several rounds of discussion, agriculture remained the biggest bone of contention between the two sides, with India unwilling to open up its farm and dairy sectors to the US— a political self-goal that no ruling party at the Centre is willing to commit what India would have imagined five months ago, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in the US envisioning a MEGA partnership, while referencing Trump's MAGA.'In India, we are working towards a Viksit Bharat, which in the American context translates into Make India Great Again (MIGA),' PM Modi had tweeted in February, posing next to PM Modi's vision of a 'Viksit Bharat', hungry for cheap Russian energy to fuel its needs, did not align with Trump's 'Make America Great Again' mantra, who is ready to go to any length to save an extra dime for his later, the idea of MIGA lay in tatters as Trump announced heavy tariffs on India. What piqued interest, however, was his signing off with MAGA—an appeal to his voter base—something he hadn't done while announcing similar tariffs on countries like South Korea, the Philippines, or begs an important question: why sign off with MAGA only for India, but not for others? Is it because Trump is finally playing to the gallery—appearing to please his MAGA base, which was unhappy over his softer stance on immigration and H-1B policies that benefit India—just days before stepping into the Oval Office?advertisementIt was evident when Trump's decision to nominate Chennai-born techie Sriram Krishnan to lead AI policy in his administration set the cat among the pigeons, with MAGA supporters decrying his perceived 'India First' agenda, as his social media reflected support for easing green card restrictions for skilled has carefully course-corrected ever since. Moving further away from PM Modi's equation of MAGA + MIGA = his administration's swift cancellation of the legal status of university students in the US to his 'Big, Beautiful Bill' making money remittances from Indians in the US to India more expensive, Indians are slowly but steadily coming to realise that the American Dream may be over.- Ends
Time of India
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
'I may put a restriction on them': Donald Trump threatens to block $4 billion Commanders stadium plan
Donald Trump has injected himself into the Commanders' stadium deal, threatening to block the $4 billion project (Getty Images) In a fiery twist to the Washington Commanders' search for a new stadium, U.S. President Donald Trump has inserted himself into the debate—threatening to block the team's proposed $4 billion stadium deal unless it changes its name back to the "Redskins." The team rebranded as the Commanders in 2022 following growing criticism over the racially insensitive nature of the previous name. But Trump is now using his political leverage to demand a reversal. Donald Trump calls the 'Commanders' name 'ridiculous' and demands return to tradition Taking to his platform Truth Social, Donald Trump didn't mince words. "I may put a restriction on them that if they don't change the name back to the original 'Washington Redskins,' and get rid of the ridiculous moniker 'Washington Commanders,' I won't make deal for them to build a stadium in Washington," he wrote. This declaration not only brings political pressure into the NFL but also reopens a cultural wound many hoped had started healing. Trump insists that reviving the old name would increase the franchise's value and restore its traditional legacy. Ties to larger political message: 'MIGA – Make Indians Great Again' Trump's message was broader than just Washington's NFL team. He also criticized the Cleveland Guardians, formerly the Indians, accusing the Dolan family of erasing cultural identity. In his post, Trump wrote: 'Our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen. Their heritage and prestige are systematically being taken away from them... OWNERS, GET IT DONE!!!' The former president has even launched a campaign dubbed MIGA: Make Indians Great Again. Commanders' owner stands firm amid rising name-change pressure Despite increasing noise around the name change, team owner Josh Harris has previously made it clear there are no plans to revert. In February, he said the organization will 'honor the past' but move forward under the Commanders' name. Trump's threat adds a new layer of controversy, potentially pitting federal influence against social progress. As the stadium negotiations heat up, so does the political firestorm around the Commanders' identity. Also Read: Kirk Cousins dragged into viral affair scandal as Netflix shades Astronomer CEO with Coldplay moment FAQs 1. Why is Donald Trump threatening to block the Commanders' new stadium? Donald Trump says he won't support the $4B stadium deal unless the team changes its name back to "Redskins." 2. What reason did Donald Trump give for demanding the name change? He claims the old name honors Native American heritage and would make the team "more valuable." 3. Has the team responded to Donald Trump's demand? Owner Josh Harris previously stated there are no plans to return to the "Redskins" name. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Times
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Times
Trump tells Washington NFL team to revert to ‘Redskins' name
President Trump has said Washington's American football team should revert to its original name of the 'Washington Redskins'. The US president said sports teams that had changed names to avoid offending Native Americans in recent years should readopt their former branding. He said there was 'a big clamouring for this'. 'The Washington 'Whatever's' should IMMEDIATELY change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team,' he wrote on Truth Social. Later, Trump threatened to block the Commanders' application to build a new stadium in Washington and said his campaign was called Miga, or Make Indians Great Again. 'I may put a restriction on them that if they don't change the name back to the original 'Washington Redskins,' and get rid of the ridiculous moniker, 'Washington Commanders,' I won't make a deal for them to build a Stadium in Washington,' he wrote in a second post on Truth Social. 'The Team would be much more valuable, and the Deal would be more exciting for everyone. Cleveland should do the same with the Cleveland Indians. The Owner of the Cleveland Baseball Team, Matt Dolan, who is very political, has lost three Elections in a row because of that ridiculous name change. What he doesn't understand is that if he changed the name back to the Cleveland Indians, he might actually win an Election. Indians are being treated very unfairly. MAKE INDIANS GREAT AGAIN (MIGA)!' The Washington Commanders changed their name during the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd in 2020 when sports teams came under pressure from sponsors to ditch culturally insensitive names and logos. For two years, the NFL team, which last won a Super Bowl in 1992, went without a name before they were rebranded the 'Commanders' in 2022. The team has replaced its logo, which previously showed the head of a native American wearing feathers, with a large 'W'. While some teams have changed their names because of protests from fans, including the Cleveland Indians — a baseball team that became the Cleveland Guardians — others have refused to bow to pressure. The Kansas City Chiefs, one of the most successful NFL teams in recent years whose players include Travis Kelce, boyfriend of Taylor Swift, have rejected demands from Native American groups to change their name. The Chiefs' fans often perform a 'tomahawk chop', waving their arms to mimic a Native American warrior. But fans were banned from attending games daubed in face paint and wearing headdresses in 2020. After a former Washington Commanders player called on his old team to return to its original name, Trump endorsed his campaign and urged other owners of sports teams to follow suit. 'Our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen,' he wrote. 'Their heritage and prestige is systematically being taken away from them. Times are different now than they were three or four years ago. We are a Country of passion and common sense. OWNERS, GET IT DONE!!!'
