Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has found himself in the eye of a political storm after aligning with U.S. President Donald Trump in declaring India’s economy as “dead.” His controversial statement, made shortly after Trump’s trade tirade against India, has not only drawn severe backlash from the ruling BJP but also triggered visible unease within his own party. A string of senior Congress leaders have distanced themselves from Gandhi’s position, underlining what many see as Gandhi family’s weakening grip over the party.
The public disavowals by key Congress figures point to a deeper malaise an internal fatigue with Rahul Gandhi’s recurring anti-India rhetoric that often sidelines party consensus and national interest.
Rahul Gandhi’s Misstep: An Endorsement of Trump’s Economic Swipe
Just hours after Donald Trump imposed a 25% tariff on Indian goods and launched into a scathing criticism of India and Russia, Rahul Gandhi told reporters outside Parliament:
“He is right, everybody knows this except the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister. I am glad that President Trump has stated a fact.”
Trump had said on his social media platform Truth Social:
“I don’t care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care. We have done very little business with India, their tariffs are too high, among the highest in the world. Likewise, Russia and the USA do almost no business together. Let’s keep it that way.”
Rahul Gandhi’s agreement with this statement has been interpreted as a stunning act of political opportunism—one that undermines India’s global economic standing and contradicts the economic performance data cited by international bodies like the IMF and World Bank.
Shashi Tharoor Offers a Measured Counterpoint
In contrast to Gandhi’s blanket endorsement, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor took a more nuanced and nationalistic position:
I don’t care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care. We have done very little business with India, their Tariffs are too high, among the highest in the World. Likewise, Russia and the USA do almost no business together. Let’s…
— Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) July 31, 2025
“It is a challenging negotiation. We are negotiating with many countries. The US is not the only negotiation. We have ongoing negotiations with the EU, we already concluded a deal with the UK, and we are talking with other countries also. If we can’t compete in America, we may have to diversify our markets outside of America. We are not out of options. If America is completely unreasonable with its demands, we have to move elsewhere. That is the strength of India; we are not a totally export-dependent economy like China. We have a good and strong domestic market. We must give strong support to our negotiators to find the best deal possible. If a good deal is not possible, we may have to walk away… America has to understand our needs as well. Our tariffs on America are not that unreasonable. It’s about 17% average. American goods are not priced competitively enough to sell in the Indian market…”
Tharoor’s remarks underscored India’s economic resilience and rejected any notion of India having a “dead economy.”
Karti Chidambaram Advocates Strategic Patience
Congress MP Karti Chidambaram also pushed back against the hysteria surrounding Trump’s statement:
“Trump is not a conventional politician. Normal protocols of diplomacy and normal rules of intergovernmental relationships don’t work. He is very unorthodox. We should just let him be as it is… We should not panic immediately. These are all opening positions in a negotiation. I hope the government maintains its cool, continues to negotiate and comes to an understanding with the US.”
Chidambaram’s response highlights a calm and calculated approach, suggesting that Trump’s remarks are mere negotiation tactics and should not be dignified with overreaction.
Manish Tewari Reflects on India’s Strategic Autonomy
Congress MP Manish Tewari used the moment to reflect on India’s long-standing policy of strategic autonomy:
“Donald Trump has perhaps given the biggest tribute to Indian strategic exceptionalism and strategic autonomy now stretching back to 1947. The Policy of Non-alignment that was put in place by India’s first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru, now called multi-alignment and self-reliance put in place by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, now called Atmanirbhar Bharat, are the strategic continuums that provide the Indian state with the flexibility to engage with the world on its own terms and in its best national interest. Would Donald Trump’s tariff threat make any difference to the strategic autonomy that we have built up over the decades and across different dispensations and administrations? NOT REALLY. Would it damage the larger fabric of the Indo-US engagement? PERHAPS!”
Tewari’s remarks clearly signal disapproval of Gandhi’s endorsement of Trump’s rhetoric.
Rajeev Shukla Challenges Trump and Backs India’s Growth
Rajeev Shukla, another senior Congress MP, didn’t mince words in rejecting Trump’s assertions:
The @realDonaldTrump has perhaps given the biggest tribute to Indian strategic exceptionalism and strategic autonomy now stretching back to 1947.
The Policy of Non alignment that was put in place by India’s first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru now called multi alignment and… pic.twitter.com/lvlovI89c4
— Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) July 30, 2025
“Trump saying that the economies of India and Russia are dead, is wrong. The Indian economy is not dead. Economic reforms were made when PV Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh were there. Atal Bihari Vajpayee took those reforms forward. Manmohan Singh strengthened it in the 10 years. The current government has also worked on it. Our economic condition is not at all weak. If someone claims they can finish us economically, it’s likely due to a misunderstanding. Trump is living in a delusion. Imposing tariffs is wrong. Every nation has the right to trade with the nation it wants. Restricting them, speaking against the BRICS, speaking against trade and import from Russia, this is not right…”
Shukla’s balanced yet firm rebuttal makes it clear that Gandhi’s view is isolated, not reflective of the wider party opinion.
Even Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, whose party is aligned with Congress, said, “India is among the top 5 global economies. Calling it a dead economy comes from arrogance or ignorance.”
Not that one needs to say it there’s enough legitimate data available to know that Indian economy is in the top 5 of the world and one of the fastest growing economies. Calling it a dead economy can only come from a position of arrogance or ignorance. Thank you for your attention…
— Priyanka Chaturvedi🇮🇳 (@priyankac19) July 31, 2025
Rahul Gandhi’s Isolation Reflects a Deeper Party Crisis
Rahul Gandhi’s endorsement of Donald Trump’s disparaging remarks on India’s economy has not only sparked a political storm but also exposed deep rifts within the Congress party. With prominent leaders like Tharoor, Chidambaram, Tewari, and Shukla rejecting the LoP’s stance, one cannot ignore the underlying message: Gandhi’s grip over the party is loosening.
This episode is more than just a misstep. It reflects a growing fatigue within the Congress ranks over Rahul Gandhi’s recurring narrative that often appears more aligned with foreign criticism than national interest. The silence—or outright opposition—from his senior colleagues may be the clearest sign yet that the Congress is inching toward a leadership reckoning. For a party that once prided itself on internal discipline and unified messaging, the question now looms large: is Rahul Gandhi still the unquestioned leader, or just a political liability the Congress can no longer afford?
