Congress Targets Modi Over Rubio's Remarks, Alleges 'Appeasement' of Trump

A fresh political controversy erupted on Wednesday after the Congress accused the Narendra Modi-led government of failing to raise concerns over the United States' proposed tariff policy on imported generic medicines during a meeting between External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The Opposition's criticism followed Rubio's reported remarks after his meeting with Jaishankar in Manila. When asked whether India had raised the issue of the proposed tariff increase on generic drugs, Rubio said he expected India to be concerned but claimed that the matter was not brought up during their discussion. He added that the issue might have been discussed with other officials in the US administration.

Reacting to the statement, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that it was another instance of the Prime Minister's "appeasement" of US President Donald Trump. Sharing a video clip of Rubio's remarks, Ramesh questioned why India had not raised an issue that could significantly affect one of its key export sectors.

The political exchange comes shortly after Trump unveiled a new roadmap for tariffs on imported generic medicines. According to his announcement, the United States will maintain zero tariffs on imported generic drugs for the next two years, beginning August 1. After that, tariffs will increase to 100 per cent in August 2028 and 200 per cent a year later, as part of his plan to encourage domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing.

The proposed policy has drawn attention because India is the largest supplier of generic medicines to the United States, making the American market crucial for the country's pharmaceutical industry. Any steep tariff increase in the future could have significant implications for Indian drug manufacturers and exporters.

With the tariff proposal now becoming a political issue, the Congress has sought to corner the Centre over its handling of the matter, while the government has not yet publicly responded to Rubio's remarks or the Opposition's allegations.