"India Should Retaliate": Shashi Tharoor To NDTV On 50% Trump Tariffs

India should retaliate to Donald Trump's tariff offensive by reciprocal 50 per cent tariffs on US imports if negotiations with Washington, DC, do not yield results, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has told NDTV.

"We should first negotiate. I don't know Mr Trump is so angry with us. They gave a 90-day deadline to China and just 21 days to us. Now if they have reached 50 per cent, our response can only be reciprocal tariffs," Mr Tharoor said outside Parliament.

India, he said, currently charges 17 per cent tariffs on US imports. "We should also raise it to 50 per cent. If you do this to us, we will do the same," he said.

The 25 per cent additional tariff announced by the Trump administration yesterday is a 'penalty' for India's continued purchase of Russian crude oil. India has consistently defended this and said it buys Russian oil to ensure energy security for its people.

Calling the US action "unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable", India has said it is "extremely unfortunate" that the US imposed additional tariffs on India for actions that several other countries are taking. These countries include India's neighbour, China.

Asked if New Delhi should continue to buy oil from Moscow despite Trump's pressure tactics, Mr Tharoor said, "We need to look at the market and decide where to buy oil and gas from. If Russian oil is a lot cheaper than rates offered by other countries, why can't we profit from it? We need oil and gas for development activities," he said.

Trade talks between India and the US have paused amid the Trump administration's ongoing tariffs offensive. A key roadblock for the trade pact was India's refusal to grant the US more access to its key sectors, such as agriculture, to safeguard domestic farmers. Sending a strong message after the Trump tariffs kicked in, Prime Minister Modi said, "The interest of farmers is our top priority. India will never compromise with the interests of its farmers, livestock holders, and fishermen. And I know that I will have to pay a huge price for this personally, but I am ready. India is ready, for the sake of the country's farmers, fishermen and livestock holders."

Commenting on this, Mr Tharoor said a massive section of India's population is linked to the agriculture sector. "No matter whose government it is, Modi ji's or ours, we need to stand with the farmers," he told the media. "Our true friends abroad will understand this, but those who are not ready to understand, who do not value our relationship as much we value it, we need to look for other friends," he said, referring to the growing unease in India's ties with its key strategic partner US.