Chennai, Aug 7
Tamil Nadu BJP spokesperson A.N.S. Prasad has issued a strong statement condemning the United States government's decision to impose a total of 50 per cent customs duty on Indian goods, calling it a "desperate and self-destructive move" by President Donald Trump.
He contrasted India's steady rise on the global stage under Prime Minister Narendra Modi with what he termed as America's "geopolitical and economic decline" under Trump.
Calling the tariff "an audacious and unlawful imposition", Prasad said that the move would not hurt India but instead isolate the United States diplomatically and economically.
"By antagonising a rising global power like India, the US has miscalculated. This reckless tariff policy will only damage its own strategic interests," he stated.
ANS Prasad argued that the imposition of the 50 per cent customs duty was not rooted in sound economic policy but rather reflected "a deep-seated insecurity about India's unstoppable rise".
He said that the US decision undermines its credibility as a global leader and shows an unwillingness to engage constructively with long-standing allies.
Underlining India's rapid transformation under PM Modi's leadership over the past 11 years, the BJP leader cited robust infrastructure development, advancements in technology, and a rapidly growing economy.
According to World Bank figures, India's GDP reached $3.6 trillion in 2024 with a growth rate of 8.2 per cent as per IMF data.
He also highlighted India's growing influence in global diplomacy, through forums like the Quad and G20, and its deepening partnerships with nations across Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia.
"PM Modi's foreign policy has enhanced India's soft power, while Trump's isolationist approach has alienated allies and weakened US global influence," Prasad said.
Referring to India's decisive responses to terrorism and foreign policy challenges, he mentioned the 2019 Pulwama-related surgical strikes and India's swift retaliation to the Pahalgam attack in 2025.
"India rejected US mediation offers and reaffirmed its sovereignty. The US was increasingly sidelined as India asserted its autonomy," he added.
Prasad also criticised the US for its "hypocrisy" in global trade, particularly its 25 per cent tariff on India for importing Russian oil while itself importing enriched uranium from Russia.
"India exposed the double standards of the US, forcing the world to question American moral authority," he said.
He warned that Trump's 50 per cent tariff would backfire on the US economy.
"India supplies 40 per cent of US generic drugs, and our IT services are crucial to global supply chains. With a $36 billion trade deficit with India, this move could worsen America's economic position," Prasad stated, citing US Census Bureau data.
The BJP leader recalled India's global leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, underlining how India produced and exported vaccines to over 100 countries, while the US struggled with domestic chaos and recorded over a million deaths.
"India emerged as a humanitarian and strategic leader, unlike Trump's US, which faltered in crisis," he said.
He further claimed that Trump's tariff decision was politically motivated, aimed at undermining India's success story to bolster his re-election prospects.
"Driven by envy of PM Modi's global image, this baseless aggression will hurt the US more than India," Prasad said.
India, he added, has made significant investments in infrastructure, green energy, and manufacturing under schemes like 'Make in India'.
"India's $1.1 trillion infrastructure drive and 500 GW renewable energy target by 2030 are transforming the country into a global manufacturing and climate leader," he said.
Quoting global financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, Prasad noted that India's growth is projected to continue strongly at around 7 per cent in 2025, while aggressive US trade tactics could backfire and cause global instability.
In conclusion, he stated: "India is on an unstoppable path to becoming the world’s third-largest economy by 2030 and a leading power by 2047. Trump's punitive tariffs will be remembered as a turning point, not for India's decline, but for America's fall from influence. Under PM Modi's leadership, India will continue to rise as a global superpower."
