Congress on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi after US President Donald Trump announced a 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods along with an unspecified penalty, accusing the Indian government of foreign policy failure.

“Trump has imposed a 25% tariff on India, along with a penalty. The country is paying the price for Narendra Modi's 'friendship'. Modi campaigned for Trump, hugged him enthusiastically, got photos taken and made them trend on social media. In the end, Trump slapped tariffs on India. India's foreign policy has completely failed,” the Congress said in a post on X.

'All that taarif, meant little'

Congress general secretary in charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh also hit out at PM Modi, saying the much-publicised camaraderie between the two leaders has yielded little for India.

“All that taarif between him and ‘Howdy Modi’ has meant little,” Ramesh remarked, referring to the lavish praise and optics during Modi's US visits.

He criticised the Prime Minister for staying silent in the face of multiple provocations from the United States, including Trump’s repeated claims of halting India’s Operation Sindoor, the special lunch hosted for the Pakistan Army Chief shortly before the Pahalgam terror attack, and continued American support for financial aid to Pakistan through global institutions like the IMF and World Bank.

“Mr. Modi thought that if he kept quiet on the insults that the US President hurled at India, the country would get special treatment. Clearly that has not happened,” said Ramesh.

Calling for a stronger response, Ramesh urged the PM to take a page from the leadership of Indira Gandhi. “He should take inspiration from Indira Gandhi and stand up to the US President,” he said.

'We were hopeful'

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi criticised the Modi government saying the move contradicts the ongoing diplomatic engagement between the two leaders.

“PM Modi has been in constant contact with U.S. President Donald Trump. We were hopeful that a trade deal would be signed soon,” Chaturvedi said.

She pointed to the inconsistency in Trump’s approach, especially after his repeated claims of mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. “However, Trump has suddenly imposed tariffs and penalties on India's trade,” she noted.

Chaturvedi demanded clarity from the government, saying, “Now, the Finance Minister and the Prime Minister must explain why such a unilateral decision has come from America.”

'Trump has slapped us'

Congress MP Rajiv Shukla also criticised the United States’ decision to impose a 25% tariff and penalty on Indian imports, calling it a “really wrong step” that would hurt Indian businesses.

“This is a really wrong step by the US. The government considers Trump a friend, but he has actually slapped us,” Shukla said.

He warned that Indian businessmen would bear the brunt of the decision and added that the Congress party would raise the matter in Parliament.

“When there is so much friendship between India and the US, then why is Donald Trump troubling India?” he asked, questioning the effectiveness of the Modi government’s diplomacy with Washington.

'Deeply disappointing'

RJD MP Manoj Jha expressed concern over the imposition of a 25% tariff and penalty on Indian imports by the United States, stating that the development under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership was deeply disappointing.

“We are not happy that this has happened under PM Modi’s leadership. On this, we stand united,” Jha said.

He called on the government to recognise the missteps that may have contributed to the situation. “We want our government to acknowledge the shortcomings that have led to this situation,” he added.

Emphasising the need for a firm response, Jha urged the Centre to take all political stakeholders into confidence and deliver a clear message to Washington. “The government must take everyone into confidence and convey to the American President that India will remain a strong and sovereign nation, and we will not be dictated to by such postures,” he said.

Trump's 25 per cent tariff announcement

India will pay a 25 per cent tariff on goods exported to the United States from August 1, Trump announced on Truth Social, the social media platform owned by the US President.

In addition to the tariff, Trump imposed a penalty on India for buying what he described as "a vast majority of their military equipment" and oil from Russia.

In a brief but typically aggressive post, the American President referred to India as "our friend" but complained about India's high tariffs and restrictive trade practices.

"Remember, while India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the world. And they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary trade barriers of any country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

He also accused India and China of funding Russia's war in Ukraine, now in its third year, and reiterated his claim that he could end the conflict within 24 hours of taking office on January 20.

"Also, they have always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia, and are Russia's largest buyer of energy, along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to stop the killing in Ukraine. All things not good! India will, therefore, be paying a tariff of 25 per cent, plus a penalty for the above, starting on August 1," he added.

Trump's announcement followed days of speculation over the tariff rate he would levy on India. Earlier on Tuesday, he had indicated that the tariff could be in the range of 20 to 25 per cent.

Asked about Trump's earlier remarks repeating his claims and that India is preparing to face higher US tariffs between 20 and 25 per cent, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi said on Tuesday, "It is obvious, the prime minister has not said that Trump is lying. It is obvious what has happened. Everyone knows, he is not able to say it. That is the reality."

Rahul said Trump is making the remarks to put pressure on the Indian government for the trade deal.

"Now, you see what kind of trade deal happens," he told reporters in the Parliament House complex.