Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, warned on Thursday that the US decision to impose reciprocal tariffs would severely harm India's economy, with industries such as automobiles, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture bearing the greatest impact. He questioned the government's response to the situation. "Our ally has suddenly decided to impose a 26% tariff, which will completely devastate our economy—our auto, pharmaceutical, and agriculture industries are all at risk," Gandhi stated in Lok Sabha. US President Donald Trump announced new import tariffs on Wednesday, specifying the rates for various countries, with India facing a 26% tariff.

Drawing a comparison between the foreign policy approaches of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Gandhi recalled how Indira Gandhi once responded to a question on her political stance, saying, "I am Indian, and I stand straight." He accused the BJP and RSS of having a different approach, claiming, "When asked to lean left or right, they bow their heads to every foreigner that comes."

Gandhi further demanded clarity from the government regarding its strategy to address the tariff issue and the alleged territorial encroachments by China. He claimed that China had occupied 4,000 km of Indian land and criticized Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s recent visit to China, where he was seen cutting a cake with the Chinese Ambassador to India, Xu Feihong, on the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two nations.

"It's a known fact that China has taken over 4,000 km of our land. Twenty of our soldiers were martyred, and yet our Foreign Secretary is cutting a cake with them," Gandhi remarked, urging the government to restore the previous territorial status before normalizing relations. He also pointed out a communication gap, stating that information about India's diplomatic exchanges with China came from the Chinese Ambassador rather than from Indian officials.

Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party leader Raghav Chadha criticized the US tariffs, referencing a well-known Hindi song to describe India-US relations: "Accha sila diya tune mere pyaar ka, Yaar ne hi loot liya ghar yaar ka." He argued that despite India's unwavering support, the Trump administration imposed tariffs that could significantly harm the Indian economy.

Chadha also raised concerns during the Question Hour in Rajya Sabha, directing questions to Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia regarding the government's response to the tariff issue. In response to the US tariff decision, the Indian government stated that it is evaluating potential opportunities arising from the new trade policies. The Ministry of Commerce affirmed that it is carefully assessing the implications of the US administration’s measures.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from PTI.