Trump’s Tariff War: RSS inspired SJM reiterates significance of ‘Swadeshi Economics’
Updated: March 19, 2025 14:06
The Indian government should protect the interests of farmers and small entrepreneurs while negotiating bilateral trade agreements with the US and other countries, said Swadeshi Jagaran Manch (SJM) in a resolution passed by its National Council in a two-day meeting held in Raipur from March 9-10. It also suggested enhancing the country’s foreign trade through bilateral trade agreements rather than multilateral agreements.
The Council met to discuss among other economic issues the ways to deal with the situation arising out of a likely increase in tariffs by the US that could affect Indian exports.
“National Council of Swadeshi Jagaran Manch strongly suggests that Bharat should enhance its foreign trade with bilateral trade agreements rather than multilateral trade agreements. While entering into bilateral trade agreements with the US and other countries, national interests should be protected, especially of our farmers and entrepreneurs,” the Council said in the resolution.
“After taking over as the President of USA, Donald Trump has launched a frontal attack on the global free trade system by announcing his intent to impose higher tariffs (on reciprocal basis) on imports from many countries around the world,” the SJM said. This is being done to bring manufacturing back to the US to address the issue of unemployment.
SJM appreciated the Modi government’s role in protecting the interests of farmers and their livelihood while negotiating trade agreements.
“We have observed that in the last 10 years, government has been protecting the interests of farmers and their livelihood, while negotiating trade agreements, whether it was a regional trade and investment agreement, RCEP, from it withdrew, due to concerns of its adverse impact on dairy and agriculture. This policy needs to continue, so far as agriculture small industry is concerned, especially where livelihood of farmers and workers is involved,” SJM said.
SJM also lauded the government’s effort to enhance foreign trade in Indian Rupee. “Efforts should also be made to ensure foreign currency and payment system like SWIFT should are not allowed to be used as pressure tactics,” it said.
The whole world is passing through a syndrome of geo-economic fragmentation and the key to success in this scenario is the policy of “Nation First” based on the philosophy of SJM, the organisation said in an official statement released after the national council meeting.
The government’s manufacturing push is bearing fruits. “In the last five years, Bharat has decided to promote the manufacturing of all those goods in the country, in which it was dependent on other countries including China, through the policy of Atmanirbhar Bharat. This policy has also started giving dividend. Bharat will have to prepare its industries for global competition in a protective environment,” the SJM said.
It urged upon the citizens to use domestic products. “It’s time that wherever domestic produce, both agriculture and industrial, are available, we should use Bhartiya products only,” it said. People should also be encouraged to use Ayush for their wellness to reduce reliance on reliance on patented medicines, the resolution stated further.
SJM also said that it believes that encouraging entrepreneurship at the grass root level and village led development will be the right economic growth path.
“Donald Trump understood very well that America’s free trade policy is somehow responsible for slowdown in economy and increasing unemployment as it allowed cheap imports from China. To deal with this situation, Donald Trump is imposing reciprocal import duties on many countries including China, Canada, Mexico, Britain, South Korea and Bharat,” said the SJM in its resolution. The organisation has been fighting against unequal World Trade Organisation (WTO) agreements since 90s.
“The US, once the biggest supporter of free trade and a rule-based global trading system, has suddenly realised under Donald Trump that for decades it has bought more goods from the rest of the world, than it sold, due to which US has been facing huge trade deficit. In 2024, USA’s had a huge trade deficit of 918.4 billion US dollars. Now Donald Trump wants to reverse this situation,” the SJM resolution said.
Since 1990s, a belief has been gaining ground that the policy of liberalization, globalization and privatization is the only way forward for the world, especially developing countries though SJM was always against liberalisation and globalisation as was being presented, the resolution added.
