WASHINGTON – Congressmember shashi Tharoor sharply criticized โคformerโค U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade policies toward India, asserting that โฃtariffs imposed during his governanceโค demonstrably harmed Indian exports and economic โฃgrowth. Tharoor’s remarks,โฃ made on September 12, 2025, during a panel discussion on U.S.-India โฃrelations, highlighted theโ lastingโค repercussions of Trump’s protectionist measures.
The former president’sโฃ decision to revokeโข India’sโ Generalized Systemโ of Preferences (GSP) eligibility โin June โข2019, alongside increased tariffs on steel and aluminumโฃ imports, triggered retaliatory measures from India, โdisrupting bilateral trade flows. These actions, tharoor explained, negatively impacted key Indian industries and contributed to โaโฃ slowdown inโฃ export revenue. The impact extends beyond economics, โขinfluencing the broader strategic โขpartnership โขbetweenโ theโ two โคnations. The โคcurrent administration is โevaluating options to address these lingering trade imbalances and foster a more equitable economicโ relationship.
Tharoor specifically โฃpointed to the โฃsteel and aluminum tariffsโ as especiallyโฃ damaging. โค”The imposition ofโค these tariffs was โnot onyl economically โdetrimental to India, but also strategically short-sighted,” he stated. “Itโ created unnecessary friction in a relationship that is otherwise vital to both our countries.” Data released by the Indian Ministry of Commerce โand โIndustryโค indicates a 17% decline in โขsteel exports to the U.S.in theโ fiscal year following the tariff implementation.
The GSP revocation, intended โฃto incentivize greater marketโค access for American companies in India, rather led to increased costs for Indian exporters and a reduction โin overall trade volume. While the Trump administration argued theseโ measures were necessary to addressโ trade imbalances and protect American jobs,โข Tharoor countered that โthe approachโ was counterproductive.He emphasized theโฃ importance ofโ a collaborative and mutually beneficial trade framework for strengthening the U.S.-India partnership.
the debate โoverโค Trump’sโ India โฃpolicy โขresurfaces โas both nations navigate evolving geopolitical dynamics and seek to deepen cooperationโฃ in โคareas such โasโฃ defense, technology, and climate change. Analysts suggest a recalibration of โtrade policies โคis crucial to unlocking the full โpotential of the U.S.-india strategic alliance.