New Delhi: Expressing “deep concern” over US President Donald Trump’s announcement of tariffs and penalties on India over trade with Russia, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch has urged the Centre to maintain a firm stance over the matter and focus on national interest.
In a statement issued Friday, SJM’s national co-convenor Ashwani Mahajan said India’s “sovereign right to procure defence equipment to strengthen self-reliance in defence production and to secure crude oil at the most competitive prices—essential to keeping domestic inflation under check—cannot be subjected to external pressure”.
Trump has announced imposition of 25 percent tariffs on Indian exports to the US from 7 August, along with an additional penalty due to New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian energy products, highlighting his concern over the ongoing negotiations for a mini-deal between the two countries.
SJM said that the US continues to exert pressure on multiple countries to lower tariffs outside the framework of World Trade Organisation rules, often invoking non-trade considerations under the guise of “reciprocity”. It also said that the moment should be used to “strengthen strategic autonomy, protect national interest, and advance a truly multipolar and equitable global trade order, and make a decisive move towards ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’”.
Emphasising that such “coercive” tactics will not have any impact on India, Mahajan said that India is emerging as a global power, and the US must realise that “India is not the India of a decade ago”.
“We are emerging as a global power, demonstrated decisively during Operation Sindoor, and committed to building robust indigenous capabilities in arms production. The United States, too, needs to move beyond the inertia of a unipolar worldview and embrace the reality of a multipolar, cooperative order,” the statement read.
The ‘economic wing’ of the RSS congratulated the Narendra Modi government for standing firm against “pressure” during the ongoing India–US Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations.
“Despite threats of reciprocal tariffs and the missed deadlines of 9 July and 31 July, Indian negotiators have rightly resisted attempts to force open our markets to genetically modified (GM) agricultural products, dairy imports, and other sensitive sectors,” it said.
The organisation criticised the US for the penalties against India. “It is unfortunate that the US has chosen to adopt punitive measures against a strategic partner at a time when the world must collectively respond to the far greater challenge posed by China’s weaponisation of trade and global value chains. Rather than resorting to pressure, the US and India should strengthen cooperation to build resilient, diversified, and equitable global supply chains.”
SJM further pointed out that the key sticky points in the current negotiations are related to the US’ demand for market access for GM crops, deregulation of medical devices, and unrestricted cross-border data flows.
“India, on the other hand, has legitimately sought exemptions from steel, automobile, and pharmaceutical tariffs and defended its policy of data localisation. India’s principled stand—that GM food imports threaten both our biodiversity and food security, and that sensitive data must remain within sovereign control—is fully aligned with our long-term national interest,” it added.
It said that whether or not a trade agreement is reached, Indian exports to the US will continue on the basis of mutual economic benefit. “We must avoid concessions that undermine our farmers, small-scale industries, or long-term economic self-reliance. The experience of recent years has shown that India can leverage shifting global trade patterns—including those resulting from US–China tensions—to its advantage without compromising core interests.”
The organisation has also urged the Indian government to accelerate diversification of trade beyond traditional partners, deepening ties with Latin America, Africa, the expanded BRICS bloc, and the Global South.
“While the US remains India’s largest trading partner, trade must always serve mutual benefit—not be used as an instrument of pressure. SJM understands that trade threats will ultimately harm US consumers by driving up domestic inflation. For India, any short-term losses will only strengthen the imperative of becoming self-reliant in critical sectors,” the statement added.
(Edited by Mannat Chugh)
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