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'You Failed In Securing A Trade Deal. Now You Are Failing To Protect Our Country': Kharge Says To Modi

"Narendra Modi ji, your dear friend 'Abki Baar, Trump Sarkar' has imposed 50 per cent Tariffs on India starting today. We will lose an estimated Rs 2.17 lakh crore as the first jolt to this Tariff, across 10 sectors alone," Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said on X.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge -PTI
Summary

1: US imposed 50 per cent tariff came into effect in India Wednesday.

2: The additional 25 per cent tariff were imposed by US President Donald Trump on India for its purchases of Russian oil, bringing the total amount of levies imposed on New Delhi to 50 per cent.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday commented on US imposed additional tariffs coming into effect, terming it a result of its "superficial" foreign policy that would result in "huge job losses".

United States President Donald Trump’s 50 per cent tariff shock kicked in on Wednesday, at stake is India’s resolve to protect both its strategic and economic space. 

"Narendra Modi ji, your dear friend 'Abki Baar, Trump Sarkar' has imposed 50 per cent Tariffs on India starting today. We will lose an estimated Rs 2.17 lakh crore as the first jolt to this Tariff, across 10 sectors alone," Kharge posted on X.

Stating that "our farmers, especially cotton farmers, have been badly hit", Kharge said, "You had said you are ready to pay any 'personal price' to protect them, but you have done absolutely nothing to soften the blow and protect their livelihoods." 

Kharge added that as per Global Trade Research Initiative, almost 1 per cent of India's GDP could be impacted, and that China would benefit from it.

"Several export-oriented important sectors, including MSMEs, will experience massive job losses. A snapshot -- which is just a tip of the iceberg -- reveals the Indian textile export sector is facing potential job losses of about 500,000, including both direct and indirect employment.

"In the gems and jewellery sector, 150,000 to 200,000 jobs could be at risk if the tariffs continue," the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha said.

Kharge also posted that close to 1,00,000 workers involved in diamond cutting and polishing across the Saurashtra region have already lost their jobs since April, when the 10 per cent base US tariff was put in place.

The livelihoods of half-a-million shrimp farmers directly and another 2.5 million indirectly are at grave risk, he said on X.

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"Indian national interest is supreme. A robust foreign policy needs substance and deft but your superficial foreign policy engagements -- smiles, hugs and selfies -- have hurt our interests. You failed in securing a trade deal. Now you are failing to protect our country," Kharge claimed.

The US Department of Homeland Security, in a draft order published on Monday, said the increased levies would hit Indian products that are entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 am eastern daylight time on August 27, 2025.

In recent weeks, Prime Minister Modi has promised India’s farmers that he will continue to protect their interests, come what may, even at the cost of his life. 

“Let's embrace swadeshi with pride. The things that will be made here by Japan are also swadeshi,” the PM said on Tuesday, while addressing a gathering at a Maruti Suzuki production facility in Gujarat.

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“My definition of swadeshi is very simple. I am not concerned about whose money is invested...whether it is a dollar or a pound, or whether that currency is black or white. But whatever production is done with that money, the sweat should be of my countrymen. Those products will have the fragrance of my country's soil,” he said.

The additional 25 per cent tariff were imposed by Trump on India for its purchases of Russian oil, bringing the total amount of levies imposed on New Delhi to 50 per cent.

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