New Delhi [India], April 3 : Congress MP Manish Tewari on Thursday urged the Centre to develop "a spine" and stand up to the US, which imposed 26 per cent tariffs on goods from India. The Congress leader said that the tariffs on India represented "abject failure" of the negotiations between the two countries.
"It represents an abject failure of the negotiations that were taking place between the US and the govt of India," Tewari told ANI.
"The US has imposed tariffs, expelling our students, and cancelling visas without any provocation, and the govt is absolutely silent... The government needs to develop a spine and stand up to the US," he added.
Congress' Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Surjewala also expressed concern and criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the issue.
Speaking with ANI, Surjewala said, "The 27 per cent plus tariff imposed by India's biggest trading partner is a big matter of concern. Indian Import is going to experience an impact of Rs 26,000 crore to Rs 35,000 crore. What is the Modi government doing? Whenever the country faces danger, Modi ji become silent. PM Modi ji went to the US, then the US President called India a tariff abuser in his presence. They send our migrants back in handcuffs like animals. Now, the 27 per cent tariffs by America are a matter of concern."
Surjewala further alleged that the US has been pressuring India to reduce tariffs and questioned the government's silence over this.
"On the other hand, America is pressuring India to accept their agricultural export like wheat, cotton. They are pressuring India to end the import duty on Pharmaceuticals. Modi government is not answering any questions about this," he said.
Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi also raised the issue of US tariffs in the Lok Sabha and warned, "Our ally has suddenly decided to impose a 26 percent tariff, which will devastate our economy--our auto industry, pharmaceutical industry, and agriculture are all in line."
US President Donald Trump announced reciprocal tariffs on several countries, including India, on Wednesday (local US time) during a 'Make America Wealthy Again' Event in Washington.
Calling these tariffs "discounted reciprocal tariffs," Trump said that India charges the US 52 per cent. "India very, very tough. The Prime Minister just left and is a great friend of mine, but you are not treating us right. They charge us 52 per cent, and we charge them almost nothing..." the US President said at the event.
The import tariffs imposed by the US on other major countries are China (34 per cent), the European Union (20 per cent), Vietnam (46 per cent), Taiwan (32 per cent), Japan (24 per cent), the United Kingdom (10 per cent), Bangladesh (37 per cent), Pakistan (29 per cent), Sri Lanka (44 per cent), and Israel (17 per cent).
At the event, Trump also emphasised that after decades of exploitation, the era of American taxpayers being "ripped off" was over. The US President said, "Our country and its taxpayers have been ripped off for more than 50 years, but it is not going to happen anymore"