Hello, I’m Ravish Kumar.
Donald Trump has notified a fresh 25% additional tariff on Indian exports—effective from 9:30 a.m. on August 27. This comes after the earlier 25% tariff announced on August 7. But this time, the tariff is being described as a penalty on India for importing oil from Russia.
So yes, Trump has punished India. And what about his “friend,” Prime Minister Modi? He has not said a word. Modi doesn’t want to show his degree, fine. Doesn’t want to hold press conferences, fine. But why is he unable to show Trump the “red eyes” of defiance?
The newspaper The Hindu reported the new tariffs, but noted that India has not issued a single statement on how it plans to respond. Trump, meanwhile, has gone further—claiming publicly that he gave Modi 24 hours to stop a war with Pakistan, and Modi stopped it in just 5 hours. In other words, he mocked the Prime Minister of India on the global stage.
At the very least, should not the Indian government have said: Trump is lying? If Trump claims to have call recordings of his conversations with Modi, let him release them. But no such challenge was issued. Silence is the only response.
Meanwhile, Trump is saying things like:
“I’m talking to a very terrific man, Modi of India… I said, you don’t stop, you’re going to end up in a nuclear war… I told him 24 hours, but he stopped in 5.”
Mockery—plain and simple. And India, the so-called rising power, remains silent.
From Stadiums to Tariffs
Remember the days when India booked stadiums to welcome Trump? Now the reality: India–US relations are at their lowest diplomatic ebb. Instead of confronting Trump, we are busy pasting Swadeshi boards outside small shops.
But tell me: do tariffs vanish because a shopkeeper in Kanpur or Ranchi hangs a “We Sell Only Swadeshi” poster? Do American policymakers lose sleep because of signboards on Indian kirana shops?
These tariffs threaten jobs in textiles, jewelry, seafood, chemicals, leather, auto parts, pharma, electronics—millions of livelihoods at stake. India’s $47 billion exports to the US are under direct threat.
Yet the Prime Minister’s answer is: “Dukaan par board lagaiye—Swadeshi bikta hai.”
Swadeshi, But for Whom?
If the Prime Minister truly believes in Swadeshi, why not start from his own office? Why not declare:
-
His glasses are Swadeshi.
-
His watch is Swadeshi.
-
His convoy runs on Indian-made cars.
-
He flies not in Boeing, but in a Pushpak Vimaan proudly built in India.
If Modi insists on “boards,” then let every ministry, every foreign luxury showroom, and every foreign liquor shop carry one too. Why burden only small shopkeepers?
Because Swadeshi, as Gandhi defined it, was not a marketing stunt. It was an act of defiance against colonial rule. Today, Swadeshi is being reduced to a hollow slogan—stripped of courage, stripped of clarity.
Tariffs, Jobs, and Lobbyists
Let’s return to the real issue. Trump’s tariffs are not just numbers—they are destroying jobs. Reports say:
-
One lakh diamond workers in Gujarat may lose jobs.
-
Textile hubs like Tiruppur, Noida, Surat have already slowed down production.
-
Seafood exports face collapse with tariff hikes from 8% to 58%.
-
Jewelry exports, which heavily depend on the US, are at a two-decade low.
In response, what has the Indian government done? Hired American lobbyists. India is paying nearly $3-4 lakh per month (₹2.5 crore) to firms in Washington to lobby against Trump’s tariffs.
So yes, while Indian workers lose their jobs, the government is sending crores of rupees abroad… in dollars. But here, it tells the small trader: “Hang a board—sell Swadeshi.”
The Distraction Game
The irony is thick. Modi preaches Swadeshi, yet luxury cars from Britain are made cheaper by trade deals. States themselves run shops selling foreign liquor. Amazon thrives, importing goods by the shipload.
But the Prime Minister’s focus? Asking shopkeepers to paste boards.
The truth is: Swadeshi cannot be reduced to sweat alone. To say “if Indian labor worked on it, it’s Swadeshi” is childish. By that logic, all goods made abroad by Indian workers would also be Swadeshi. Tomorrow, foreign trips could be declared “Swadeshi Yatras” just because an Indian Prime Minister walked there!
The Question
Friends, do you see what’s happening? While tariffs eat into our exports, while jobs vanish, while lobbyists pocket crores—our answer is a distraction. A slogan. A poster.
Shouldn’t the real answer have been a strong statement against Trump’s bullying? Shouldn’t the Prime Minister have asked: Why should millions of Indians pay the price for tariffs imposed on Russian oil imports?
Instead, we are being asked to clap, to light candles, and now… to hang boards.
That’s not resistance. That’s avoidance.
So I leave you with this question: Are Swadeshi signboards our only reply to Trump’s tariffs?
Hello, I’m Ravish Kumar.
No comments:
Post a Comment