Abhinandan MishraNew Delhi: Calling out the United States’ latest tariff measures as coercive and counterproductive, Ashwani Mahajan, national convenor of the Swadeshi Jagran Manch — an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)—has issued a blunt message: India cannot and will not yield to unjust demands or trade blackmail.
Reacting to the U.S. administration’s imposition of a 25% tariff on Indian imports, Mahajan asserted that “tariff and its impact is relative,” adding that the move, while aggressive in tone, is neither unprecedented nor uniquely damaging to India. “The U.S. is trading with multiple countries including India’s competitors — many of them are already facing some form of tariff. Its effects vary based on each country’s export profile,” Mahajan told The Sunday Guardian.
He pointed out that other BRICS nations like China, Brazil, and South Africa are attracting even more intense tariff scrutiny, underlining that India is hardly being singled out. “This is a broader pattern of U.S. economic pressure, not a calibrated policy,” he said.
Mahajan, also a professor in the Department of Economics at Delhi University, dismissed concerns over India’s exposure to U.S. trade disruptions. “India is not dependent on U.S. trade. In fact, unlike the U.S., which has failed to conclude many FTAs, India has signed multiple Free Trade Agreements. Our trade base is diversified. We are not isolated, nor vulnerable.”
He warned Washington against misreading India’s position in the global order. “The U.S. needs to understand that there are other countries adopting openly hostile postures toward it. India is not one of them. But if Washington expects blind compliance, it is mistaken.”
Taking on the practical impact of the tariffs, Mahajan was unequivocal. “For many Indian commodities exported to the U.S., there are no viable substitutes. The tariff will not dent our export quantities. It will, however, make American imports more expensive.”
He categorically denounced the legality of the move. “These tariffs are in violation of WTO rules and breach foundational trade norms. If the U.S. proceeds further on this path, it is undermining the very multilateral institutions it once built.”
More importantly, Mahajan argued, the American public will pay the real price. “Who will be hit the hardest? The common people of the U.S. Prices will rise. Inflation will spike. Washington is punishing its own citizens in a misplaced attempt to pressure India.”
He questioned the strategic thinking behind the tariff war. “The U.S. is grappling with manufacturing decline, factory closures, and weakened domestic production. These are structural problems. What America should be focusing on is the weaponization of global supply chains — being orchestrated by certain nations.”
On this front, he highlighted the need for allied coordination. “Rare earths are a clear example. All likeminded countries should be coming together to address these threats. Instead, the U.S. is alienating its partners.”
Responding to U.S. demands on agriculture and data regulations, Mahajan made India’s red lines clear. “We cannot allow GM food. We cannot allow milk imports from the U.S. We use milk for religious purposes. These issues are non-negotiable.”
He also emphasized the importance of data localization and IPR protections as sovereign priorities. India, he said, has taken a principled stance — and will hold that line. “We are on the right track. We will not succumb to unjust demands. Threats will not work. Period.”
