Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged citizens to abandon foreign-made products in favour of local goods, intensifying his government’s “self-reliant” campaign amid a worsening trade dispute with the United States. The public address comes as trade ties between Washington and New Delhi have soured considerably.
Modi’s call for “Swadeshi” – a term meaning “made-in-India” – products follows a decision by US President Donald Trump to impose a 50 per cent tariff on imported Indian goods. Supporters of the Prime Minister have already initiated campaigns encouraging boycotts of popular American brands in India, including McDonald’s, Pepsi, and Apple.
“Many products we use daily are foreign-made, we just don’t know… we will have to get rid of them,” Modi told the nation ahead of Monday’s implementation of widespread consumer tax cuts. He added, “We should buy products that are made in India,” deliberately refraining from naming any particular country.
India, with its population of 1.4 billion, represents a massive consumer market for American goods, frequently purchased through US online retailers like Amazon. Over the years, the presence of American brands has expanded significantly, reaching deep into India’s smaller towns and cities.
Beyond consumers, Modi also appealed to shopkeepers to prioritize the retail of made-in-India products, asserting that such a focus would significantly boost the country’s economic growth. In recent weeks, many companies operating in India have already ramped up their promotion of locally manufactured goods.
The Prime Minister’s latest directive comes ahead of an anticipated visit to Washington by India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal. The trip is expected to involve trade talks aimed at easing the strained bilateral relations between the two countries.
