New Delhi [India], July 31 : Reacting to US President Donald Trump's announcement of a 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Member of Parliament Sanjay Jaiswal drew a parallel with the sanctions imposed by the United States following India's 1998 nuclear tests under then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Speaking to ANI, BJP leader Sanjay Jaiswal said India has always acted in its sovereign interest and will continue to do so irrespective of external pressure.
"When Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji conducted the nuclear explosion, the US had done the same thing. After that, such immense support was received from non-Indian people that the value of the dollar fell. There is no need for a third country to comment on the nature of our relations with any other country. We want to maintain good relations with every country and will continue to do so in the future," Jaiswal said.
Echoing similar sentiments, West Bengal BJP President and MP Samik Bhattacharya criticised the US President's move, stating that India cannot be coerced through pressure tactics.
"India is the largest democracy with a population of 140 crore. America imposed a sanction on the country and then later was forced to remove it... Trump, who thinks that he can force any deal through pressure, should know that this is not a banana republic... If America and its allies separate themselves from such a huge market, the results will be worth watching..." Bhattacharya said.
Earlier, on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump announced that India would face a 25 per cent tariff, along with an additional penalty, citing trade imbalances and India's continued defence and energy ties with Russia.
"Remember, while India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their Tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the World, and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary Trade Barriers of any Country," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
"Also, they have always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia, and are Russia's largest buyer of ENERGY, along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to STOP THE KILLING IN UKRAINE - ALL THINGS NOT GOOD! INDIA WILL THEREFORE BE PAYING A TARIFF OF 25%, PLUS A PENALTY FOR THE ABOVE, STARTING ON AUGUST 1st. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. MAGA!", the US President said.