Shashi Tharoor tears into Trump: 'No one can threaten India like this, we should impose tariffs too'

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday tore into Donald Trump over his decision to impose an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods amid the ongoing tirade of the US President. Hitting out at Trump, Tharoor said that no country can threaten India like that and that we should also impose an additional 50 per cent tariff on US imports. "This will certainly have an impact. We have a trade relationship worth $90 billion, and if tariffs raise prices by 50 per cent, buyers will start questioning why they should purchase Indian products," Tharoor said.

He called on the Indian government to respond firmly by imposing similar duties on American imports.

"If they go ahead with this, we should also impose a 50 per cent tariff on US exports. It's not acceptable for any country to try and bully us like this,” he added.

Trump's executive order, signed on Wednesday, imposes a total of 50 per cent tariffs on Indian imports—an increase driven by India’s continued purchase of Russian crude oil. The move has sparked concerns over its potential impact on bilateral trade and relations.

Tharoor: Double standards in US policy

Responding shortly after the announcement, Tharoor criticised the decision, saying the increased tariffs would make Indian goods unaffordable for many American consumers. He also pointed to what he described as a double standard in US policy, highlighting the case of China.

"They've given the Chinese a 90-day exemption from these tariffs, even though China imports far more Russian oil than India does," he said.

"They're also importing things like uranium and palladium from Russia. There's clearly a degree of selective enforcement," Tharoor remarked.

Strain on India-US relations

Tharoor suggested that the tariff hike signals a shift in the tone of India–US relations. "This is not a particularly friendly move from a country we considered an ally. We expected a more understanding approach from this administration," he said.

He also hinted that the development could lead to domestic pressure in India to impose reciprocal tariffs on American goods.