NEW DELHI, Aug 11 (Alliance News): US-based multinational companies are facing growing boycott calls in India after US President Donald Trump imposed a 50% tariff on Indian goods, sparking protests and nationalist appeals to buy local.
India — the world’s most populous country and a vital market for American consumer brands — has seen prominent business leaders, political groups, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s supporters urging consumers to choose home-grown products over imported ones.
From beverages and smartphones to fast food and coffee chains, US brands have long been aspirational purchases for India’s expanding middle class. While there is no immediate evidence of a hit to sales, the calls to shun American products are gathering traction both online and offline.
Business leaders like Manish Chowdhary, co-founder of an Indian skincare company, have urged citizens to make “Made in India” a “global obsession,” citing South Korea’s global success with food and beauty exports.
Rahm Shastry, CEO of a local driver-on-call service, echoed the sentiment, calling for Indian-made alternatives to US tech platforms like Twitter, Google, YouTube, WhatsApp, and Facebook.
Modi, speaking in Bengaluru on Sunday, made a “special appeal” for self-reliance, saying it was time to give more priority to India’s needs, though he avoided naming specific companies.
The Swadeshi Jagran Manch, affiliated with Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, staged rallies in multiple cities on Sunday urging boycotts of American brands.
The group is circulating lists of Indian alternatives to foreign soaps, toothpaste, and drinks, alongside social media graphics reading “Boycott foreign food chains.”
The protests come even as Tesla opened its second Indian showroom in New Delhi on Monday, attended by officials from India’s commerce ministry and the US embassy.
Not all consumers appear swayed. In Lucknow, Rajat Gupta, 37, shrugged off the calls while sipping coffee at a US-based restaurant chain. “Tariffs are a matter of diplomacy and my coffee should not be dragged into it,” he said.
