Asserting that there will be no sense of insecurity if everyone realises that they are children of one god, RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat has indicated that tariffs were imposed on India because some were worried about the country growing too fast.
Addressing a Brahmakumari event in Nagpur on Friday, Mr Bhagwat, who had earlier said trade should be conducted free of pressure, addressed the 50% tariffs imposed by the US on India, without naming any country.
"If there is no enmity within us, then no one is our enemy. Earlier, we used to fear snakes. Then, when we gained knowledge, we realised that not all snakes are poisonous. So we started leaving the snakes alone. Due to knowledge, fear and discrimination were destroyed," Mr Bhagwat said in Hindi.
"What will happen if India grows? So impose tariffs. Why do this? You are across seven seas. But because of the 'me and mine' thing, you are afraid... The world needs a solution today. They tried to find a solution on the basis of an incomplete vision, and the solution was not found," he said.
At an event to mark the organisation's centenary celebrations earlier this month, the RSS chief had said countries should not try to exert pressure on each other when it comes to trade, and had also made a push for 'swadeshi' or made-in-India goods.
"International trade will continue, but it should be free from pressure and conducted voluntarily... That is why we must promote the use of swadeshi. The country's trade policy should be based on voluntary cooperation, not compulsion... Being 'aatmanirbhar' (self-reliant) does not mean stopping imports. The world moves because it is interdependent. So export-import will continue. However, there should be no pressure in it," he had said.
Conciliation?
US President Donald Trump had announced 25% tariffs on India and followed it up with another 25% as "penalty" for buying Russian oil, bringing the total levy to 50%.
While India-US ties have been strained because of the move, there have been conciliatory signals as well, with Mr Trump saying earlier this week that negotiations on a trade deal are on, and that he expects a successful conclusion.
"I am pleased to announce that India, and the United States of America, are continuing negotiations to address the trade barriers between our two nations. I look forward to speaking with my very good friend, Prime Minister Modi, in the upcoming weeks. I feel certain that there will be no difficulty in coming to a successful conclusion for both of our Great Countries!" Mr Trump had posted on his social media website, Truth Social.
This was followed by a post on X by PM Narendra Modi who expressed similar views and said India and the US are natural partners.
"India and the US are close friends and natural partners. I am confident that our trade negotiations will pave the way for unlocking the limitless potential of the India-US partnership. Our teams are working to conclude these discussions at the earliest... I am also looking forward to speaking with President Trump. We will work together to secure a brighter, more prosperous future for both our people," the PM wrote.
