“For us, the interest of our farmers is our top priority. India will never compromise on the interests of farmers, fishermen and dairy farmers. I know personally, I will have to pay a heavy price for it, but I am ready for it." Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address at the MS Swaminathan Centenary International Conference in New Delhi is a strong message being sent to US President Donald Trump who has used tariffs to try and cower India into submission.

What the US President has not realised is that unlike America’s European allies or Japan, India is no pushover. It will not be bullied into opening critical Indian sectors for foreign goods. Modi leads a country of 1.4 billion people, of which 110-146.5 million are farmers contributing 20 per cent to the GDP.

Modi’s address at the Dr Swaminathan centenary was not a cogitatio solum on Trump and Tariffs. On August 2, on his home turf of Varanasi, the Prime Minister had also made a pitch for India’s retailers to sell Swadeshi, a rare departure from his usual calls for Make in India, Atmanirbhar Bharat and vocal for local.

By invoking the idea of ‘Swadeshi’, Modi was signalling that he was willing to take the path of Gandhi. It was a calibrated message for not just consumers and traders, but also policy pundits that India would not hesitate to draw firm lines when it comes to industrial and trade policies.

Modi’s responses to Trump elevate him into a class of his own. There are not many who can personally stand up to the ‘classroom bully’ diplomacy that the Trump administration seems to have a penchant for.

India had started the pushback right since the first 25 per cent tariffs were announced. MEA released a statement that obliterated the claims and justifications used by Trump on a key ally like India. Rebuked, and later scorned by India’s absolute refusal to kow-tow, Trump has doubled down by pushing more tariffs. But his ability to instill fear is overrated now.

Other countries have also started taking a page out PM Modi’s book on strong messaging. A major friend of India, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, has also delivered a public rebuke of Trump by saying that no matter what, he will not pick up the phone and call the US President to negotiate on tariffs. Brazil has also been slapped with 50 per cent tariffs.

India and Brazil complete the consortium of BRICS that has the potential to take on the US, and change the geopolitical, global trade dynamics completely. What happens onward from this moment will be a lesson for all states looking to defy the US President. If........

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