Nagpur: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari hit out at US President Donald Trump’s 50% tariff on Indian goods, calling it “dadagiri.” Speaking at the Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT) in Nagpur, he said boosting exports and technology will make India economically self-reliant, ensuring the country never has to bow down to pressure from financially stronger nations.
Gadkari said that countries indulging in “dadagiri” (bullying) on the global stage are able to do so because of their economic clout and technological edge. His remarks come at a time when India is facing its steepest-ever tariffs from the United States.
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Gadkari urged India to boost exports, cut imports, and harness science and technology to achieve self-reliance. “Those who are indulging in ‘dadagiri’ are doing so because they are economically strong, and they have technology. If we get better technology and resources, we will not bully anyone, because our culture teaches us that welfare of the world is most important,” he said.
Underscoring the importance of innovation, the minister noted, “Today the solution to all the problems of the world is science, technology and knowledge. If we use these three things, then we will never have to bow down to the world. Research centres, IITs, and engineering colleges should conduct research with the country’s needs in mind. There are different things in all districts, states and regions. We have to work keeping everyone in mind. If we do such work continuously, then the growth rate of our country’s economy will increase up to three times.”
Gadkari’s remarks come after US President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed an Executive Order imposing an additional 25 per cent tariff on imports from India. Trump cited matters of national security and foreign policy concerns, as well as other relevant trade laws, for the increase, claiming that India’s imports of Russian oil, directly or indirectly, pose an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to the United States.
Terming the United States’ move to impose additional tariffs on India over its oil imports from Russia as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) declared that New Delhi will take “all actions necessary to protect its national interests.
The White House has linked the penalties to New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil, a stance India has defended as essential for its energy security. The move has sparked the sharpest diplomatic rift between the two countries in two decades, with Washington suspending trade talks and warning of further sanctions.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a pointed message widely seen as directed at Trump, said India would never compromise on the welfare of its farmers, fishermen, and dairy workers, even if that meant “paying a heavy price.”
India has branded the tariffs “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable” and vowed to “take all necessary actions” to protect its interests.
