The Left parties have strongly condemned American President Donald Trump’s imposition of 50% tariff on Indian exports, calling it a “bullying tactic”. They urged the Union government to firmly assert the nation’s strategic autonomy.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Polit Bureau in a statement, in Delhi, said that Mr. Trump’s announcement was “arbitrary, dictatorial and reflects the bullying tactics of the U.S. administration”.
“The U.S. and the EU are attempting to arm twist countries like India for continuing trade relations with Russia, even as they themselves continue to trade with Russia,” the party said, urging the Indian government to stand firm and resist succumbing to pressure from the U.S. “The government must take immediate steps to protect the interests of Indian exporters who will be adversely affected by these tariff hikes,” the statement said.
The CPI(M) also called upon its units to organise protests on the issue.
The blatant weaponisation of trade relations was an attack on India’s autonomy, and a crude attempt to enforce an exclusionary and decadent U.S.-led world order, CPI general secretary D. Raja said. “Such actions are aimed at coercing independent nations into submission, and undermining their right to pursue sovereign foreign and economic policies,” he said.
