"Ready to pay personal price" | PM Modi's strong message over Trump's tariffs

A day after US President Donald Trump intensified the trade tensions by increasing tariffs on Indian exports, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent a clear message, asserting that India would never compromise on the welfare of its farmers, fishermen, and livestock keepers. Speaking at the MS Swaminathan Centenary International Conference in New Delhi, Modi acknowledged the potential personal and diplomatic costs of his stance but reaffirmed his commitment to protecting India’s agricultural backbone.

“The welfare of our farmers remains our highest priority,” Modi declared. “India will not yield when it comes to safeguarding the interests of those who work in agriculture, animal husbandry, and fisheries. I understand this position may come with significant consequences for me personally, but I am prepared for it. The nation is prepared — for its farmers, fishers, and livestock herders,” he added, shortly after the US tariff hike took effect.

Paying homage to MS Swaminathan, the father of India’s Green Revolution, Modi emphasized that the path forward must include a focus on nutritional security, building upon Swaminathan’s foundational work on food security.

The US is a major market for Indian agricultural exports, which are now under threat following Washington’s decision to impose steep duties. On Monday, Trump announced an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods as a punitive measure, citing India’s continued purchases of Russian crude oil amid the Ukraine conflict. This comes on top of earlier tariff hikes of the same percentage introduced on July 20, effectively doubling duties on a range of Indian exports.

In response, India’s Ministry of External Affairs criticized the new trade penalties, calling them “unjustified, unfair, and unreasonable.” The ministry highlighted that India’s energy imports, including those from Russia, are based on economic and strategic considerations, aimed at ensuring affordable and reliable energy access for its 1.4 billion citizens. It also pointed out that many other countries are making similar decisions to meet their national energy needs, yet only India appears to be facing such punitive action.

“The government will take all steps necessary to safeguard India’s national interests,” the ministry asserted.

The tariff escalation adds to already strained relations between the two nations, particularly following India’s launch of Operation Sindoor — a military response to the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians. While Trump has claimed credit for mediating peace between India and Pakistan, the Modi administration has firmly rejected this, stating that its actions were independent and de-escalatory. “No foreign leader advised us to halt Operation Sindoor,” Modi told Parliament during the debate on the issue.

The imposition of tariffs also coincides with a freeze in negotiations over a bilateral trade agreement between India and the US. A key sticking point has been Washington’s push for broader access to India’s agricultural markets — a demand that New Delhi continues to resist in order to protect domestic farming communities.

As economic and strategic disagreements deepen, the latest developments mark a significant phase in India-US relations, where trade, security, and diplomatic autonomy are colliding in complex and high-stakes ways.