Indian Consumers Boycott US Brands Amid Rising Anti-American Sentiment

US multinationals like McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Amazon, and Apple are facing boycott calls in India as the country pushes back against US tariffs with rising anti-American sentiment. Business leaders and supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi are leading the backlash, which is driven by the Trump administration's imposition of tariffs on Indian goods. The boycott calls reflect growing tensions between the two nations and the impact of the tariffs on Indian businesses.

US multinationals such as McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Amazon, and Apple are facing boycott calls in India as the country pushes back against US tariffs, fueled by rising anti-American sentiment. The backlash is led by business leaders and supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who are protesting the Trump administration's imposition of tariffs on Indian goods [1].

India, the world's most populous nation, is a key market for American brands. For instance, it is the biggest market by users for Meta's WhatsApp, and Domino's has more restaurants than any other brand in the country. Beverages like Pepsi and Coca-Cola often dominate store shelves, and people still queue up when a new Apple store opens or a Starbucks cafe doles out discounts [1].

However, the recent tariffs have sparked a growing chorus to buy local and ditch American products. On Sunday, Modi made a "special appeal" for self-reliance, emphasizing that Indian technology companies should give more priority to India's needs [1]. Rahm Shastry, CEO of India's DriveU, also called for the development of home-grown social media platforms, similar to those in China [1].

The Swadeshi Jagran Manch group, linked to Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, has circulated a table on WhatsApp listing Indian brands of bath soaps, toothpaste, and cold drinks as alternatives to foreign ones. The group's campaign includes a graphic titled "Boycott foreign food chains," featuring logos of McDonald's and other restaurant brands [1].

Even as these protests simmer, Tesla launched its second showroom in India, attended by Indian commerce ministry officials and U.S. embassy officials [1]. However, the boycott calls reflect growing tensions between the two nations and the impact of the tariffs on Indian businesses.

The boycott calls come as President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Wednesday that ratchets up tariffs on goods from India by an additional 25% as a broader measure aimed against Russia [2]. The tariffs have rattled exporters and damaged ties between New Delhi and Washington.

Despite the boycott calls, some consumers remain unaffected. In Uttar Pradesh, Rajat Gupta, dining at a McDonald's in Lucknow, was not concerned about the tariff protests and simply enjoyed his coffee [1]. However, the long-term impact of the boycott calls on US multinationals' sales and market share in India remains to be seen.

References:

[1] https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/india-trumps-tariffs-spark-calls-boycott-american-goods-2025-08-11/
[2] https://seekingalpha.com/news/4483018-trump-tariffs-spark-india-backlash-boycott-calls-for-us-brands