Submit photo: Former NITI Aayog CEO and India’s ex-G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant|Picture Credit: Shailendra Bhojak
Former NITI Aayog CEO and India’s ex-G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant has stated that the current tariff procedures by United States President Donald Trump must work as a “wake-up call” for India. Requiring to social networks, Kant composed, “Trump’s tariffs must be a wake-up call for India. The irony is striking: the US is actively negotiating with Russia and China, the latter being the largest buyer of Russian oil, yet chooses to target India with tariffs instead. Let us be clear, this is not about Russian oil. It is about India’s energy security and strategic autonomy, which we should never compromise.”
Kant stated that India should remain company on safeguarding its tactical interests, while utilizing the circumstance to press through vital reforms. “India has, on numerous occasions, refused to yield to global pressure. This moment should be no different. Rather than intimidate us, these global headwinds must galvanise India into bold, once-in-a-generation reforms, while also diversifying our export markets to secure long-term growth and resilience,” he concluded.
Previously this month, speaking with ANI about India’s trade relationship with China, Kant stated that regardless of tough political ties, India ought to target at developing joint endeavors with Chinese business, instead of depending greatly on imports from China. He discussed, “We do about 120 billion worth of imports from China. Despite having a very adverse relationship with Japan, China continued to maintain a very close economic relationship with Japan. China has a very adverse political relationship with Taiwan. Yet the biggest investors in China are Taiwan and the Taiwanese businessmen. To my mind, it is in our economic interest that instead of importing from China, we should get Chinese to do joint ventures with Indian companies on a minority stake and do manufacturing in India, and that will enable India to do both input manufacturing and component manufacturing and accelerate the process of Make in India and accelerate the process of Manufacture in India, and that to my mind is a long term answer to economic growth.”
On India’s development aspirations, Kant indicated the bigger financial vision. “The key is how do we take India from a $4 trillion to a $35 trillion economy by the time we become 100? That’s the vision of the Prime Minister. We need to provide momentum for growth. We need to grow at 8 to 9 per cent per annum, year after year. Instead of importing, we should focus on manufacturing in India with China. That will create jobs in India,” he stated.
Released on August 28, 2025
