As the steep tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump on Indian goods came into effect on Wednesday, calls for a boycott of American products gained momentum in the country.
Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev termed the US administration's action as "political bullying, hooliganism, and dictatorship" and called for a complete boycott of American companies and brands.
"Not a single Indian should be seen at the counters of Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Subway, KFC, or McDonald's. There should be such a massive boycott. If this happens, chaos will ensue in America. Inflation will increase in America to the point where Trump himself may have to retract these tariffs,” he said.
“Trump has committed a blunder by turning against India,” he further said.
#WATCH | Noida, UP | On 25% additional US tariffs on India from August 27, Yoga guru Ramdev says, "Indian citizens should strongly oppose the 50% tariffs that America has imposed on India as political bullying, hooliganism and dictatorship. American companies and brands should be… pic.twitter.com/sJedjdNt0k
— ANI (@ANI) August 27, 2025
With the additional 25 per cent tariff taking effect on Wednesday, the total levy on Indian goods to the US rose to a whopping 50 per cent, sparking fears of a slowdown in export growth and job losses.
The Trump administration imposed the punitive tariffs, accusing India of funding Russia’s war in Ukraine through the continued import of Russian oil.
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The US move is likely to impact India's agriculture, textile, and pharmaceutical sectors.
Ever since Trump announced the tariff punishment, there has been a growing chorus both on social media and offline to buy local and ditch American products. India, the world's most populous nation, is a key market for American brands.
Earlier this month, the Swadeshi Jagran Manch took out rallies across India, urging people to boycott American brands. "People are now looking at Indian products. It will take some time to fructify," Ashwani Mahajan, the group's co-convenor, told Reuters news agency.
On Wednesday, noted economist and former JNU professor Utsa Patnaik said a boycott of foreign products, similar to the historical 'Swadeshi Movement', could be a way for India to counter the pressure.
"His actions reflect the fact that US consumers are in a state of crisis. Joe (Joseph) Stiglitz has estimated that the real wage of the American worker has actually gone down during the neoliberal era. They themselves feel that they can no longer consume at the same rate as before, as they were doing earlier," Patnaik said.
