Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], August 30 : Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) National General Secretary Sunil Bansal on Saturday said that India is the first nation to stand up against the United States, asserting that the country has made it clear that it will not bow down before US President Donald Trump.
"For the first time, a country has stood up to the United States, and that country is India. India has made it clear that we will not bow down before Trump," Bansal said.
He described India as a proud, self-reliant nation with a population of 1.4 billion, adding, "We will stand by this belief. This country will not bow down before any other nation. For the first time, India has sent this message."
Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, Bansal said that India has witnessed transformation over the past 11 years. "Under Modi Ji's leadership, we have seen India progress. Over the past 11 years, we have seen Prime Minister Modi being welcomed on red carpets by countries worldwide. For the first time, we saw slogans of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' being raised on American soil. Today, every nation wants to be friends with India," he said.
Bansak also highlighted the success of the 'vocal for local' movement, saying, "As much as the US imposes tariffs, today, countries are equally ready to support India. The spirit of 'Swadeshi' is alive in this country. The result of campaigns is evident in the increasing sales of local products in India. These campaigns have created millions of jobs in the country today."
The 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods imposed by the Donald Trump administration took effect on August 27, following a notice by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The move poses serious challenges for India's US-oriented exporters.
According to an analysis by ICRIER, it exposes nearly 70 per cent of India's exports, worth USD 60.85 billion, to the elevated duties.
US President Trump, who has on several occasions described India as a "tariff king," cited the trade deficit with India and New Delhi's continued purchases of Russian oil and military equipment as reasons for the move.