New Delhi [India], August 22 : Founder-Chancellor of Lovely Professional University (LPU), Ashok Kumar Mittal, has issued a statement warning the United States to revoke the 50 per cent tariff hike on Indian goods by August 27, failing which, all American soft drink and beverage companies would be banned from the LPU campus.
The statement, issued on the occasion of India's 79th Independence Day, noted that the university, one of India's largest private institutions catering to over 40,000 students, would take this step as a mark of protest.
The development follows an open letter written by Mittal to US President Donald Trump on August 7, in which he termed the tariff hike as "unfair" and urged the United States to return to the path of dialogue.
In the same letter, Mittal questioned, "What if 146 crore Indians initiate a strategic restriction of U.S. businesses?" The statement claimed that this remark has triggered a wider conversation, with several youth organisations and educational institutions considering similar measures.
"With momentum growing on the ground, Mittal has once again underlined the importance of cooperation over coercion," the statement read.
"India's economic dignity cannot be compromised. My decision to ban American beverage companies from LPU is not targeted at any single brand but is a symbolic assertion of India's rising role in global affairs. India is no longer a passive participant in international trade but a rising force to reckon with, that holds self-respect at its core. Hence, a hike that is imposed on India as a penalty for trading with Russia while the USA continues to do the same is completely unacceptable. America WILL HAVE to RETHINK and REVOKE!'," said the LPU Chancellor.
Mittal's remarks came days after a reported meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, post which two things are clear: pressure on the White House is mounting, and there is growing compulsion to recognise India as the world's fourth-largest economy that cannot be subjected to unfair trade diktats.
"Any imbalance of trade with India would deal a far greater blow to the U.S. than to India," Mittal said, calling on world leaders to move beyond "zero-sum tactics" and to resolve trade issues peacefully.
"The real test of diplomacy lies not in rhetoric but in achieving breakthroughs that benefit all sides," he added.
As per the statement, "With his firm stance against tariff hikes and repeated call for constructive global dialogue, Ashok Mittal has positioned himself as a strong voice for India's economic dignity on the global stage. His message remains clear: India welcomes cooperation, but its dignity is non-negotiable."