India’s Economic Strength Is Our Greatest Shield: Nirmala Sitharaman

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made significant remarks on the current trends in global trade, stating that tariffs and other trade measures are increasingly being used as weapons. She emphasized that India needs to act with caution in such a challenging environment and asserted that strengthening the country’s economic fundamentals is the key to safeguarding national interests. The Finance Minister made these comments while speaking at the India Conclave 2025, organized by the Times Network.

Sitharaman remarked that those who once labeled India as a “tariff king” are now the very ones weaponizing tariffs for strategic purposes. Although she did not name anyone directly, her comments were widely interpreted as being directed at former US President Donald Trump. The remarks come in the backdrop of the United States imposing high tariffs on Indian goods, and Mexico recently announcing tariffs on certain Indian exports.

She underlined that India has never believed in using tariffs as a weapon, and reiterated that a strong and resilient domestic economy alone can provide long-term advantages in an increasingly volatile global trade environment.