In the midst of a global economic standoff and rising tariff threats from the United States, senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Manish Tewari has once again risen above party lines to defend India’s national interest. Even as his party’s Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, indulges in opportunistic political attacks against Prime Minister Modi, Tewari has chosen statesmanship over partisanship.
On Thursday, reacting to US President Donald Trump’s imposition of a steep 50% tariff on Indian exports linked to India’s continued oil imports from Russia—Tewari called it an act of “crude bullying” and affirmed that India would overcome this challenge, just as it has weathered far greater storms in the past.
While Tewari had earlier invoked India’s 1971 resilience and its refusal to buckle under U.S. military intimidation, Rahul Gandhi, yet again, resorted to spreading conspiracy theories. In a controversial post on X, Rahul alleged that Modi is unable to stand up to Trump due to a supposed U.S. investigation into the Adani Group. He wrote on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) “Modi’s hands are tied. One threat is to expose the financial links between Modi, AA, and Russian oil deals.”
Such baseless allegations not only undermine India’s negotiating position but also show the glaring lack of geopolitical understanding on the part of the Congress’ top leadership. In stark contrast, Manish Tewari’s voice represents a rare moment of maturity and unity, even as his own party flounders in confusion and political opportunism.
Manish Tewari: Defending India’s Strategic Independence
Just days after his 1971-themed post, Tewari had reacted strongly to Trump’s second round of tariffs on India. In a post on X, he wrote:
“India shall overcome. Crude bullying, coercion and arm-twisting won’t work.”
At a time when India faces economic pressure from U.S. for acting in its own sovereign interest by purchasing discounted crude oil from Russia Tewari’s statement was a firm rebuttal to Washington’s hypocrisy.
It is worth noting that Rahul Gandhi remained silent on the actual tariff announcement, only to emerge later with an unverified conspiracy theory involving Adani. Tewari, on the other hand, immediately condemned the U.S. decision and reaffirmed his trust in India’s diplomatic resilience.
INDIA SHALL OVERCOME:
CRUDE BULLYING, COERCION & ARM TWISTING WON’T WORK . @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/7rrkJdqRfN
— Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) August 7, 2025
Earlier Statement: Tewari Calls Out Trump’s ‘Crude Bullying’
In his response to Trump’s tariff assault, Tewari reminded the world of a powerful historical parallel:
“Your nation sent the Seventh Fleet into the Bay of Bengal in 1971 to deter us from reordering the political map of South Asia. We withstood that. We have enough resilience as a nation to withstand your tariff threat.” he said it in his post on ‘X’ (formerly twitter) on Aug 4.
The reference was not accidental. It served as a powerful rebuttal to U.S. coercion while reaffirming India’s time-tested diplomatic tradition of strategic autonomy. Tewari’s remarks reflected a deep understanding of foreign policy a field in which he has long been regarded as an expert.
He also pointed out that India’s legacy of resisting pressure from Nehru’s non-alignment to Indira Gandhi’s defiance of Cold War superpowers continues under PM Modi’s “Atmanirbhar Bharat” vision.
“Trump has perhaps given the biggest tribute to Indian strategic exceptionalism,” Tewari noted sharply, referencing India’s refusal to be dictated to by any global power.
Timeline of Trump’s Tariff Escalation Against India
Here’s a timeline tracing the steady escalation of tariff threats and actions by former U.S. President Donald Trump:
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October 2019: Trump labels India “the tariff king.”
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September 2024: Calls India a “tariff abuser.”
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April 2, 2025: Announces 26% import tariff on Indian goods (effective April 9).
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April 5, 2025: White House order establishes a 10% baseline tariff, 16% for India (from April 9).
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April 9, 2025: 16% India-specific rate delayed for 90 days (baseline 10% remains).
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July 8, 2025: Delay extended to August 1.
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July 30, 2025: US announces 25% additional tariff as penalty for Russian oil & arms purchases.
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July 31, 2025: Executive order confirms 25% tariff from August 7.
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August 5, 2025: Trump signals even higher tariffs coming.
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August 6, 2025: Implements another 25%, raising total tariff to 50%.
Statesmanship Over Opportunism
As India faces unfair economic aggression from a former ally, this is a moment for political unity not domestic mudslinging. Rahul Gandhi’s attempt to politicize a national challenge by invoking unsubstantiated foreign investigations only weakens India’s voice abroad. In contrast, Manish Tewari despite being a senior Congress MP has chosen patriotism over partisanship. His dignified and historically grounded responses to Trump’s tariff threats have resonated across the political spectrum. At a time when India needs bipartisan strength, Tewari’s voice stands tall, reminding the world that India bows to none be it military pressure in 1971 or economic coercion in 2025.