Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Mittal Pens An Assertive Letter To US President Donald Trump, Asks ~ What If India Boycotts American Goods?

Jalandhar, August 8, 2025: Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP and Founder-Chancellor of Lovely Professional University, Dr. Ashok Kumar Mittal today penned a sharp and compelling open letter to U.S. President Donald J. Trump following the imposition of an additional 25% tariff on Indian imports—raising the cumulative tariff hike to 50%.

In the letter, Dr. Mittal described the move as “deeply disappointing,” especially given the values-based partnership and mutual strategic interests that India and the U.S. have historically shared. “Should a nation pressurize India against trade with Russia when it itself relies on the Kremlin for its domestic interests?” he asked, pointing to ongoing American and European trade with Russia, including U.S. imports of uranium and palladium.

Dr. Mittal strongly refuted President Trump’s recent characterization of India as a “dead economy,” highlighting India’s position as the world’s fourth-largest—and fastest-growing economy. “American companies generate $80+ billion annually from the Indian market. The U.S. digital economy runs on code—much of it written in India,” the letter noted, while also reminding that India’s aviation sector alone signed $2.45 billion in deals with American firms in 2022.

The letter also drew historical parallels, reminding that August 7 marks the anniversary of the Swadeshi Movement of 1905. “If 146 crore Indians were to channel that spirit today and initiate a restriction of U.S. businesses, the impact would be far more severe for the United States than for India,” Dr. Mittal cautioned.

Within the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, Dr. Mittal urged the U.S. to choose coordination over coercion. “The future now lies in the hands of those who understand that diplomacy and cooperation are the way forward, not sweeping tariffs,” he concluded.

With this latest intervention, Dr. Mittal once again affirmed his commitment to national interest, lending his voice to the call for a principled, equitable, and mutually respectful Indo-U.S. partnership amid an increasingly volatile global order.