Rahul Gandhi Aims For Political Mileage On Trump’s Tariff

As high-stakes negotiations between India and the United States are still underway, the political temperature in New Delhi has skyrocketed amidst Donald Trump's tariff threat. The Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, has seized the moment to launch a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that the PM’s ability to counter Trump’s aggressive stance is compromised by an ongoing US investigation into the Adani Group.

Gandhi, who has a history of using the Adani issue to target the Modi government, took to social media to make his explosive claim. "India, please understand: The reason PM Modi cannot stand up to President Trump despite his repeated threats is the ongoing U.S. investigation into Adani," he posted, adding that one of Trump’s threats is "to expose the financial links between Modi, AA, and Russian oil deals." The "AA" is widely understood to be a reference to the Adani Group. 

The timing of Gandhi's comments is just for seeking political mileage from a complex international issue. While the Indian government's Ministry of External Affairs has issued a strong and calibrated response to Trump's accusations, defending India's right to purchase Russian oil and highlighting similar trade practices by the US and EU, Gandhi's focus remains on linking the issue to domestic political rivalries. He has consistently argued that the Modi government's economic and foreign policies are designed to benefit a select group of billionaires, an accusation that resonates with a section of the electorate.

Trump's threats, which he says are a response to India's high tariffs and its "fueling of the war machine" through Russian oil purchases, have put the Modi government in a delicate position. On one hand, it must defend India's sovereign right to pursue its own energy and trade policies. On the other, it must navigate the potential economic fallout of a full-blown trade war with its key strategic partner. The government's diplomatic response, which has been careful not to inflame tensions further, has been framed by Gandhi as a sign of weakness and a lack of resolve.

Gandhi’s claim, however, goes a step further by suggesting that the Prime Minister's hands are "tied" by a US indictment against Gautam Adani and his nephew, Sagar Adani. The indictment, unsealed last November, alleges that the Adani executives paid millions in bribes to secure solar power contracts in India and misled American investors. The Adani Group has denied these allegations, calling them baseless. By connecting this legal issue to the highest level of diplomatic negotiations, Gandhi is attempting to create a narrative that paints the prime minister as being under the thumb of a foreign power due to his alleged ties with a business group.

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