With just two days left before steep American tariffs on Indian exports take effect, Prime Minister Narendra Modi used his Gujarat visit to send a clear message: India will not compromise on the interests of its farmers, small entrepreneurs, and cattle-rearers, even under pressure from Washington.
The Trump administration has set August 27 as the deadline for a 50% tariff on Indian goods. These new duties, which could sharply affect India’s key export sectors, come at a time when trade tensions between the two countries are already running high.
Without naming the United States, Modi reminded the crowd that global politics today revolves around economic interests. In such a climate, he argued, India must stand firm.
“For me, the interests of farmers, small industries, and cattle-rearers are paramount. No matter how much pressure comes, we will bear it. But your interests will never be harmed,” he said.
Invoking Gandhi and Krishna
To underline his point, Modi drew upon two powerful symbols from India’s past: Lord Krishna’s Sudarshan Chakra, representing strength and protection, and Mahatma Gandhi’s spinning wheel, representing swadeshi and self-reliance. He accused the Congress Party of betraying Gandhi’s legacy, alleging it made India dependent on imports while ignoring his call for swadeshi.
“Those who take Bapu’s name all day never spoke of cleanliness or swadeshi,” Modi declared. He urged traders to display boards outside their shops stating they sell only Indian-made goods, linking ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliance) with the vision of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (developed India).
Security and Development
The Prime Minister also highlighted India’s tougher security stance, citing Operation Sindoor against Pakistan-based terrorists, calling it proof that India no longer spares “terrorists or their masters.”
His Gujarat visit was not only political but developmental. Modi inaugurated or laid foundation stones for projects worth ₹5,477 crore in Ahmedabad, ranging from stormwater systems to railway overbridges. He also flagged off railway projects worth ₹1,400 crore and announced the inauguration of Maruti Suzuki’s first electric vehicle production line in Hansalpur on Tuesday.
Modi emphasized that India under the BJP has lifted 25 crore people out of poverty in 11 years. He contrasted today’s “safe and thriving” Ahmedabad with its past of riots and curfews.
The looming tariffs pose a serious challenge. The United States remains one of India’s largest export markets. Higher duties on textiles, chemicals, and machinery could hurt Indian businesses at a delicate time for global trade. Yet, by linking the crisis to Gandhi and swadeshi, Modi is positioning resistance to tariffs not just as economic policy, but as a test of India’s national resolve.
In the run-up to festival season, his call to buy Indian goods is both a political signal abroad and a domestic rallying cry.
