'This is once in a generation opportunity for us': Amitabh Kant on Trump's 50% tariffs on India

Former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant has called US President Donald Trump’s 50% tariff on Indian goods as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” for India to accelerate structural reforms.

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Trump last week raised tariffs on Indian exports from 25% to 50%, citing the country's continued purchase of Russian oil and defense equipment. The move has stirred concern among Indian exporters and trade officials over its impact on bilateral commerce.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Kant urged India to take advantage of the situation. “Trump has provided us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to take the next big leap on reforms. Crisis must be fully utilised,” he wrote.

Trump has provided us a once in a generation opportunity to take the next big leap on reforms.
Crisis must be fully utilised.

— Amitabh Kant (@amitabhk87) August 6, 2025

The post has since crossed over 690,000 views, sparking a wide range of responses. Many users agreed with Kant’s perspective, calling for an accelerated push toward the Make in India initiative and urging Indian manufacturers to expand into other international markets.

“Exactly with time, we will understand that Donald Trump was actually a blessing for us. What is happening now is a big wake-up call, and it will push India to become more self-reliant and support local products and services,” a user wrote.

💯 india must use this opportunity to
1) Slash its red tape
2) Reduce business approvals from months to weeks and digitize compliance
3) Reform labor laws for flexibility
4) Ease FDI norms
5) Cut its own tariffs
6) Increase infrastructure spending by 2% of GDP
7) Offer tax…

— PM (@naannomad) August 6, 2025

Indian govt's response to Trump's tariffs

Responding to Trump's tariffs, India’s Ministry of External Affairs called the criticism of India’s energy imports from Russia “unjustified and unreasonable.” It said India began importing oil from Russia after traditional suppliers were redirected to Europe at the onset of the Ukraine conflict, with the United States itself encouraging Indian imports to stabilize global energy markets.

The government stressed that India’s energy purchases are dictated by affordability and national need, unlike the European Union and the U.S., who continue extensive trade with Russia across multiple sectors, including LNG, fertilizers, machinery, and even uranium for nuclear power and palladium for EVs.

“In this background, the targeting of India is unjustified and unreasonable,” the MEA said in a statement dated August 4. “Like any major economy, India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security.”