PM Modi's MEGA has become 'MAHA headache' for India: Cong on US tariffs

In February, PM Modi coined a new term -- 'Make India Great Again' (MIGA) -- inspired by Trump's motto 'Make America Great Again' (MAGA), and said the two visions together form the 'MEGA partnership'

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Taking a swipe at the government after the additional tariffs imposed by the US on India came into effect on Wednesday, the Congress said Prime Minister Narendra Modi used his supposedly winning formula of MAGA+MIGA=MEGA earlier this year but this Modi-made MEGA has now become a MAHA headache for India.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications, Jairam Ramesh, said the "Trump double tariff" has come into effect, which will undoubtedly hit India's labour-intensive exports to the US -- especially textiles, gems and jewellery, leather, marine products, and engineering.

"Over the last twenty four hours, the US commerce secretary has also spoken out against the H1B visa system of which the biggest beneficiaries have been Indian IT professionals," Ramesh said on X.

"This has been one of the key demands of the MAGA base of President (Donald) Trump, the same MAGA which Prime Minister Modi in February this year used in his supposedly winning formula MAGA+ MIGA= MEGA. This Modi-made MEGA has now become a MAHA headache for India," the Congress leader said.

In February, Prime Minister Modi coined a new term -- 'Make India Great Again' (MIGA) -- inspired by President Donald Trump's motto 'Make America Great Again' (MAGA), and said the two visions together form the "MEGA partnership for prosperity" and give a new scale to bilateral partnership.

Modi's comments came during a joint press conference with President Trump, who hosted him in Washington for wide-ranging talks focusing on charting a new pathway for broadening the bilateral partnership.

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

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order published on Monday, said the increased levies would hit Indian products that are entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 am eastern daylight time on August 27, 2025.

Trump announced reciprocal tariffs of 25 per cent on India that came into effect on August 7, when tariffs on about 70 other nations also kicked-in.

On August 7, the US president announced doubling the tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent for India's purchases of Russian crude oil, but gave a 21-day window to negotiate an agreement.

On Monday, Modi asserted that he can't compromise on the interests of the farmers, cattle-rearers, and small-scale industries, cautioning that "pressure on us may increase but we will bear it".