'Condemn weaponisation of tariffs': Chidambaram slams Trump, BJP backers

Congress MP P Chidambaram slammed BJP supporters for welcoming US President Trump's 10% tariffs on Indian goods. He termed it 'weaponisation of tariffs' and Trump's 'desperation' following an adverse US Supreme Court ruling on the trade policy.

Congress Rajya Sabha MP P Chidambaram on Saturday slammed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters and economic commentators welcoming the 10 per cent tariffs on Indian goods by the United States, asking them to condemn the "weaponisation of tariffs" by Donald Trump.

In an X post, Chidambaram criticised US President Trump's move to levy 10 per cent tariffs on countries after the US Supreme Court decided against the trade policy. The Congress leader called it Trump's "desperation" to levy 'reciprocal' tariffs. Slamming the economic commentators, he alleged that they were "obliquely justifying" US' action to levy 10 per cent tariffs, which stands much higher than the earlier average of about three per cent before Trump's second tenure. "I am not surprised that President Trump is desperately searching for ways to re-impose the tariffs after the US Supreme Court struck down the so-called 'reciprocal' tariffs that he had announced on April 2, 2025. What is surprising is that some commentators and BJP-leaning trolls are obliquely justifying the actions of Trump to retain the tariffs in one way or other. Do they realise that the tariffs severely disrupted trade and were contrary to the rule-based trading order that all countries desire? Do they realise that the tariffs hurt India's exports to the US? Trump's actions were condemned by all countries as the weaponisation of tariffs. Post-judgement, what President Trump is attempted to do (under various other provisions of law) is also the weaponisation of tariffs, and this must be condemned too," Chidambaram wrote on X.

Chidambaram questions India-US trade deal reciprocity

In a separate post, the Congress MP cited Trump to criticise the India-US trade deal framework, where the US President said that Washington DC would not pay tariffs on the export of goods to India, while New Delhi has to pay a duty. He wrote, "Responding about US-India trade deal, US President Trump says, 'Nothing changes. They'll be paying tariffs and we will not be paying tariffs... PM Modi is a great man. He was much smarter than the people he was against in terms of the US... He was ripping us off. So we made a deal with India... We are not paying tariffs to them, and they are. We did a little flip'."

"Is this the reciprocity that was assured when the Joint Statement was issued by India and the US on February 2, 2026? Is this the 'achievement' government of India celebrated shortly after the Joint Statement?" the X post read.

US Supreme Court Ruling and Trump's New Tariff Order

This comes after the US Supreme Court on Friday ruled against most of Trump's sweeping tariff measures. Trump later signed an order making 10 per cent global tariff on all countries, effective "almost immediately". A White House official told ANI that India is expected to pay this tariff, and this new tariff will remain in place until another authority is invoked, emphasising the expectation that trade partners abide by US trade deals.

"Yes, 10 per cent until another authority is invoked," a White House Official stated when asked whether India will have to pay 10 per cent tariffs and whether they will replace previous tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), the official said.

Centre Studying Implications

Meanwhile, the Centre on Saturday said that it is studying the implications of the US Supreme Court judgement and the steps announced by the President Trump administration. "We have noted the US Supreme Court judgement on tariffs yesterday. President Trump has also addressed a press conference in that regard. Some steps have been announced by the US Administration. We are studying all these developments for their implications," the Commerce and Industry Ministry said in a brief statement. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)