Indian Citizens Urged to Boycott American Brands Amid 50% Tariffs

Yoga guru Ramdev has called for a boycott of American products in response to the US imposing 50% tariffs on Indian imports, terming it "political bullying, hooliganism, and dictatorship." He urged Indians to boycott American companies and brands like Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Subway, KFC, and McDonald's, saying it would cause chaos in the US and increase inflation. The US imposed the tariffs over India's continued purchases of Russian oil.

The United States has imposed a 50% tariff on nearly all goods arriving from India, marking one of President Trump's most punitive tariffs to date. This move, effective August 27, 2025, is a significant escalation in the ongoing trade tensions between the two countries [1].

The tariff, which is half punishment for India's continued purchases of Russian oil, is expected to severely impact Indian exporters and potentially disrupt the expanding economic relationship between the two nations. The tariff also threatens the stability of billions of dollars of foreign investment in India's stock market, the world's fourth largest [1].

Yoga guru Ramdev has responded to the tariffs by calling for a boycott of American products. He termed the US action "political bullying, hooliganism, and dictatorship," urging Indian citizens to avoid American companies and brands such as Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Subway, KFC, and McDonald's [2]. Ramdev argued that such a boycott would cause chaos in the US and increase inflation, potentially forcing President Trump to retract the tariffs.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats have criticized President Trump's decision to focus solely on India with tariffs, questioning the administration's intent and the fairness of the policy [2]. They noted that China, the largest importer of Russian energy, has so far been spared similar punishment, despite importing larger quantities of Russian oil.

The tariffs are part of a broader strategy by President Trump to address threats from the Russian Federation, as outlined in Executive Order 14329 [2]. The order aims to protect US interests by targeting countries that support or purchase Russian oil.

The US-India relationship, once considered a key strategic partnership, is now under significant strain due to these tariffs. The long-term impact on the global economy and the stability of US-India trade relations remains to be seen.

References:
[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/business/india-tariffs-trump-russia-oil.html
[2] https://thenewsmill.com/2025/08/yoga-guru-ramdev-calls-for-boycott-of-american-products-over-50-us-tariffs-on-india/