CM Siddaramaiah calls Trump’s tariff move 'economic blackmail', slams Modi for 'headline management'
Bengaluru, Aug 7 (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday claimed that US President Donald Trump’s 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods was "economic blackmail", blaming it on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s focus on "headline management" rather than prioritising real diplomacy and national interest.
Targeting the Centre, Siddaramaiah alleged that the Modi government had repeatedly ignored "prescient warnings" by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and called on the prime minister to "grow up and act in India’s interest."
Gandhi had on Wednesday described Trump’s move as an attempt to bully India into an unfair trade deal. He also criticised the additional 25 per cent penalty announced for India’s purchase of Russian oil, saying Modi "must not allow Indian interests to be overridden."
Backing Gandhi’s remarks, Siddaramaiah wrote on 'X', "I fully agree with @RahulGandhi. Be it GST, demonetisation, Chinese aggression, the Modani nexus, COVID failures, farm laws, Rafale, PM CARES, or electoral bonds—Rahul Gandhi called them out early. The BJP mocked him, but he was proven right again and again."
"His warning on Trump’s 50 per cent tariff is no different. It is economic blackmail—the result of PM @narendramodi prioritising headline management over real diplomacy and national interest," the chief minister claimed.
Siddaramaiah claimed that since 2019, Modi had gone out of his way to please Trump—from raising the slogan "Abki Baar Trump Sarkar," (This time, a Trump government), at the 'Howdy Modi' event, to hosting the 'Namaste Trump' rally despite a looming Covid threat, and coining the phrase "Make India Great Again (MIGA)+Make America Great Again (MAGA) equals MEGA."
He also cited Modi’s outreach to Elon Musk despite Musk’s proximity to Trump.
"But Trump wasn’t impressed. He saw it not as diplomacy, but surrender," Siddaramaiah alleged.
"He (Trump) did exactly what a true friend wouldn’t: claimed 33 times that he brokered peace between India and Pakistan, hosted Pakistan’s Army Chief—the man whose hate speeches led to the Pahalgam terror attack—and backed Israel’s brutal assault on Gaza. PM Modi remained silent through it all, to stay in Washington’s good books. No protest. No pushback. No dignity," he alleged.
Siddaramaiah said Trump had now imposed unfair tariffs on India and was attempting to coerce the country into cutting ties with Russia, calling it a "direct attack on our sovereignty".
"No foreign power can dictate our trade choices. This is the cost of running foreign policy like a personal PR campaign," he claimed.
The chief minister also invoked the stance of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi from the 1970s.
"Instead of attacking her legacy, PM Modi should learn from it. India must uphold its strategic autonomy with dignity—not surrender it for photo-ops," he claimed.
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K'taka remains central to Aequs' strategy, says min Patil amid row over firm's investment in TN
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Commerce and Industries Minister M B Patil on Monday asserted that Aequs continues to expand in the state and that its proposed investment in neighbouring Tamil Nadu was a business decision aimed at diversification, not a shift away from Karnataka.
Reacting to criticism on social media over reports that the Karnataka-based firm had signed a major investment deal in Tamil Nadu's Krishnagiri district for setting up a specialised aerospace and defense manufacturing cluster, he said the state government was fully aware of the company's plans and remained confident about its long-term commitment to Karnataka.
"While we welcome every major investment in India, would like to clarify a few points," Patil said in a post on 'X'.
Aequs was significantly expanding its footprint within Karnataka, including a Rs 3,000 crore investment in Kolar for electronics manufacturing.
"Its recently approved Rs 1,500 crore ECMS project will also be grounded in the state. Karnataka remains central to its long-term strategy," he said.
Patil added that the government had prior knowledge of the TN proposal.
The government was already informed and aware that the TN investment is a business decision aimed at geographic diversification and de-risking operations, not a shift away from Karnataka.
"Healthy competition between states strengthens India's manufacturing ecosystem," he said.
Emphasising the state's focus on high-technology sectors, Patil said, "We remain committed to deepening Karnataka's leadership in aerospace and advanced manufacturing, and our engagement with industry partners is strong and ongoing."
The Aequs Group has pledged Rs 4,000 crore to bolster Tamil Nadu's aerospace manufacturing capabilities at the SIPCOT-Shoolagiri Industrial Park in Krishnagiri district.
The group proposes to establish a specialised aerospace and defense manufacturing cluster for the production of aircraft engines, gearbox components, and precision engineering parts. This initiative is expected to provide employment to 7,000 individuals.
