Kejriwal Urges Modi to Impose 75% Tariffs on US Goods, Slams Cotton Duty Waiver.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “show courage” by imposing a 75 per cent tariff on imports from the United States in retaliation to Washington’s 50 per cent duty on Indian goods.
“We demand from the prime minister to show courage, the whole country is standing behind you. America has imposed 50 per cent tariff on exports from India. You impose 75 per cent tariff on imports coming from America, the country is ready to bear it,” Kejriwal said at a press conference, adding that such a move would force US President Donald Trump to back down.
The Delhi chief minister also criticised the Centre’s decision to waive the 11 per cent import duty on US cotton until December 31, 2025. He argued that the policy would hurt Indian farmers, particularly in Gujarat, while benefiting American agriculturists.
“When cotton from the US arrives, Indian farmers will get less than ₹900 in the market. Their farmers are being made rich, and ours are being pushed into poverty,” he claimed. Kejriwal warned that local cotton growers, burdened with loans and rising input costs, may face financial distress during the October-November harvest season if the waiver remains in place. He also accused the government of “bowing down” to US pressure.
“The whole country is standing behind Modiji. Trump imposed a 50 per cent tariff, Modiji should have imposed 100 per cent on cotton. Trump would have had to bow down,” he said, calling the US President “cowardly.”
In addition to higher tariffs on US imports, Kejriwal demanded the restoration of the cotton duty, the enforcement of Minimum Support Price (MSP), and financial relief measures for Indian farmers. He claimed that sectors beyond agriculture, including diamond workers, are also being affected by the trade dispute.
The central government, however, has defended the cotton duty exemption, saying it would strengthen India’s export markets and support small and medium enterprises.
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