All 'taarif', no gain: Congress mocks PM Modi as Trump slaps 25% tariff

Congress criticises PM Modi after Trump imposes 25% tariff on Indian imports, saying the 'Howdy Modi' friendship has brought no real benefits

The Congress party on Wednesday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi after US President Donald Trump announced a 25 per cent tariff and Russia-related penalties on imports from India. The party said PM Modi’s friendship with the American leader had not delivered any real benefits.

 

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh mocked the bond between PM Modi and Trump. In a post on X, he wrote: “President Trump has slapped a tariff of 25 per cent plus penalty on imports from India. All that 'taarif' between him and 'Howdy Modi' has meant little.”

 

He accused PM Modi of staying silent in the past despite several provocations by the US, including Trump’s controversial remarks on India, and claimed it was a strategy that had clearly failed. 

 

"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," Ramesh said. He added: "He should take inspiration from Indira Gandhi and stand up to the US President."

Congress MPs call for firm response

Congress MP Mallu Ravi said that Trump was threatening the Indian government and imposing unjust duties. He said that the 25 per cent tariff was "not acceptable to India". Another Congress MP, Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy, criticised Modi’s approach, saying: "Modi claims that Trump is his best friend but the US president's agenda was clear that he wanted to impose tariffs on India."

 

He urged the government to quickly finalise a trade agreement with the United States, warning that delays could hurt exports and the Indian economy.

Trump explains tariff decision

Earlier in the day, Trump announced the 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods starting August 1, citing unresolved issues in bilateral trade talks. He highlighted India’s high import duties, major defence and energy purchases from Russia, and what he called "obnoxious non-monetary trade barriers" as reasons for the move.

 

"India will be paying a tariff of 25 per cent plus a penalty," Trump said, while also complaining about the "massive trade deficit with India." Despite these strong measures, Trump referred to India as a "friend" in his post on Truth Social.