THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Responding to the United States’ tariff warning, MP Shashi Tharoor stated that trade relations must be rooted in mutual friendship rather than coercion.

Tharoor described the U.S. move as part of a high-pressure strategy but cautioned that India should remain alert and prepared to take necessary countermeasures.

“India cannot compromise its trade interests before the United States. Political decisions that shape our nation’s future cannot be influenced by external forces,” he said. Tharoor highlighted that India functions as a global market economy and is not solely reliant on the U.S. for trade. “We have secured agreements with the European Union and the United Kingdom and are actively exploring markets across Latin America and Africa. India’s trade network is diverse, and if the U.S. adopts harsh or unilateral measures, we will explore other avenues,” he added.

Rejecting claims that India’s export tariffs are unfair, Tharoor pointed out, “American products face an average tariff of 17% in India, which is reasonable by international standards. U.S. goods struggle in the Indian market largely due to high pricing and lack of competitiveness.”

He further emphasised that India’s economic trajectory will remain unique. “Unlike China, India does not follow an export-led model; our strength lies in our domestic market. We have advanced through self-reliance, and our policymakers must continue to act with clarity and confidence. Choosing alternative trade paths under unfair conditions is not arrogance — it is self-respect,” Tharoor concluded.