India’s opposition leader Rahul Gandhi said on Thursday that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government was “running the country into the ground”, describing US President Donald Trump’s threat of a 25% tariff as a diplomatic failure for New Delhi.

Speaking to reporters outside parliament, Gandhi, leader of the opposition Congress Party, said: “The government has destroyed our economic policy, has destroyed our defence policy, has destroyed our foreign policy.”

The 25% rate would single out India more harshly than other major trading partners, and threatens to unravel months of talks, undermining one of Washington’s strategic partners in the region, viewed as a counterbalance to China.

Trump said the tariff on imports from India would start from Friday, August 1, in addition to an unspecified penalty for Russian dealings and involvement in the BRICS grouping of nations.

In response, Modi’s government said it was studying the implications of Trump’s remarks and was dedicated to securing a fair trade deal.

Dead economy

When asked about the US President’s latest remarks on the Indian economy, being dead one, Rahul Gandhi said, “Everybody knows this, except the prime minister (Narendra Modi) and the finance minister (Nirmala Sitharaman). Everybody knows that the Indian economy is a dead economy. I am glad that President Trump has stated a fact.”

Exposing Modi’s stance on May face-off with Pakistan

Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi also exposed the Modi government’s stance on the ceasefire deal after escalations with Pakistan in May this year.

“Trump has said 30 to 32 times that he brokered the ceasefire (between India and Pakistan), right?” he said.

He thumped the Indian government by revealing the fact that India, losing at least five fighter jets, “Trump has also said five Indian fighter jets were downed.”

Earlier today, US President Donald Trump announced the imposition of 25% tariffs on India, starting from August 1.