US tariffs will lead to huge job losses: Kharge

Taking a swipe at the Narendra Modi government after the additional tariffs imposed by the US on India came into effect on Wednesday, the Congress accused the Centre of “superficial” diplomacy, warning that the move would hit labour-intensive exports such as textiles, gems and jewellery, leather, marine products and engineering.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the hikes were a direct result of the government’s flawed foreign policy. “Modi ji, your dear friend ‘Abki Baar, Trump Sarkar’ has imposed 50 per cent tariffs on India. We will lose an estimated Rs 2.17 lakh crore as the first jolt across 10 sectors alone,” he wrote on X, warning of “huge job losses” and “severe distress” for cotton farmers. He cited estimates from the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) suggesting almost 1 per cent of India’s GDP could be affected, with China positioned to benefit.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also targeted the PM, saying the “Trump double tariff” would hurt India’s traditional export sectors, while Washington’s criticism of the H1B visa system would threaten IT professionals.

“This has been one of the key demands of the MAGA base of President Trump, the same MAGA that PM Modi earlier tried to repackage as ‘MAGA MIGA = MEGA’. That Modi-made MEGA has now become a MAHA headache for India,” Ramesh wrote.

The Congress said the Centre had failed to shield the economy from global shocks, leaving Indian exporters and workers exposed.