Trump’s massive tariff hike triggers boycott calls for US products in India

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New Delhi: Several US companies operating in India are now facing boycott calls with business executives and supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the South Asian nation, which has led to anti -US sentiment to protest against Washington’s import duties.

India, the world’s most populous nation, is a key market for American brands, which has expanded rapidly to target rich consumers, many of which are affected by international labels, which are seen as a sign of moving forward in life.

For example, India is the largest market for Meta’s WhatsApp users and is a famous pizza more restaurant than any other brand in China.

The US -based drink companies often dominate the store shelf, and when a new smartphone store opens or coffee shop dolls is discount, people still stand in line.

Although there was no immediate indication of the sale affecting, Donald Trump has a growing course to buy local and Dutch American products after damaging the harmful relationships between exporters and New Delhi and Washington from India.

Manish Chaudhry, co -founder of a local company selling skin care products, LinkedIn took them with a video message that helped farmers and startups to make “Made in India” a “global madness”, and to learn from South Korea, whose food and beauty products are famous worldwide.

“We have lined up thousands of miles away for products,” he said. We have proudly spent on brands that we do not have, while our own makers fight for attention in our country. “

The CEO of a local company, Rahm Shastri, who provides car drivers on the call service, wrote to them: “India should have its home Twitter/Google/YouTube/WhatsApp/FB-like China.”

Fairly, Indian retail companies compete fierce foreign brands in the domestic market, but going globally has been a challenge.

However, Indian IT services firms have entered the global economy, providing software solutions to clients around the world with the choice of TCS and info.

On Sunday, Modi made a “special appeal” for self -reliance, told a gathering in Bangalore that Indian technology companies made products for the world, but “it is time for us to give more priority to India’s needs”, however, it did not name any company.

BJP -linked group has laid boycott rallies

Even after anti -American protests, Tesla started its second showroom in India in New Delhi, with officials of the Indian Trade Ministry and US Embassy officials attended by the inauguration of Monday.

The Swadhi Jagran Manch Group, which is affiliated with Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), pulled out small public rallies across India on Sunday, urging people to boycott American brands.

“Now people are looking at Indian products. It will take some time,” the group co -colleague Ashwani Mahajan told Reuters. “This is a demand for nationalism, patriotism”.

He also shared with Reuters, in which his group is circulating on WhatsApp, which contains a list of Indian brands’ bathrooms, toothpaste and cold drinks that people can choose more than foreigners.

On social media, this group’s campaign is a graphic titled “boycott foreign food chains”, with many restaurant brands.

In Uttar Pradesh, 37 -year -old Rajat Gupta, who was eating dinner in China on Monday in Lucknow, said he was not worried about tariff protests and enjoyed the INR 49 (5 0.55) coffee, which he considered the good price of money.

“Tackles are a matter of diplomacy and my coffee should not be dragged,” he said.