Yoga guru Ramdev has urged Indians to boycott American companies and brands following US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose additional tariffs of up to 50 percent on Indian imports. The move comes after the Trump administration doubled duties on Indian goods, citing India’s continued purchases of Russian crude oil.
Speaking to the media, Ramdev described the tariffs as “political bullying, hooliganism, and dictatorship” and called for a complete boycott of US products. He specifically named Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Subway, KFC, and McDonald’s, urging that “not a single Indian should be seen at their counters.” He added that such a boycott could cause inflation and economic disruption in the United States, pressuring the administration to reconsider the tariffs.
The new duties affect a wide range of Indian exports, including garments, gems and jewellery, footwear, sporting goods, furniture, and chemicals. The tariffs are among the highest imposed by the US, comparable to those on China and Brazil, and are expected to impact thousands of small exporters and jobs in India, including in Gujarat.
So far, there is no sign of renewed trade negotiations between Washington and New Delhi. Previous talks aimed at reducing US tariffs to around 15 percent, similar to agreements with Japan, South Korea, and the European Union, did not succeed.
Indian markets remained closed on Wednesday due to a Hindu festival, but equity benchmarks had already fallen in anticipation of the tariffs, recording their worst session in three months on Tuesday. The Indian rupee also slipped to a three-week low, marking its fifth consecutive session of losses.
