'Japanese stayed without...': Author calls for 'Boycott Amazon' over Trump's tariffs on India

In the wake of the United States imposing a 50% tariff on Indian goods, author Ratan Sharda has called for a response from Indian consumers: a boycott of Amazon. US President Donald Trump has escalated trade tensions by slapping a 50% tariff on all Indian imports.

In a post on X, Sharda proposed: "As a response to bullying by #TrumpTariffs, we can boycott the big giant making billions of dollars from Indians - can we #BoycottAmazon as a starter?" He cited the example of Japan, where the population once chose to do without American vegetables. "Japanese had decided to stay without vegetables rather than buy American vegetables, can't we?" Sharda asked.

Sharda's call for a boycott generated discussion on social media. One commenter noted that Amazon provides essential services to both vendors and customers, making it difficult for many to simply avoid the platform. "It will be very difficult and painful to boycott. Either create a decent alternative or boycott all possible US products that have alternatives," the user wrote.

Sharda, however, said, "There is no gain without pain. What are the services that you did not have when there was no Amazon? It is a question of comfort. That is all. There are other Indian platforms too, including the government of India site, and individual retailers."

Trump's tariffs are expected to make Indian goods far costlier in the US, with the potential to cut America-bound exports by 40–50 per cent, according to a think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI). The move places India among the "most heavily" taxed US trading partners, far above rivals such as China, Vietnam, and Bangladesh, and threatens most of India's $86.5 billion in annual exports to America, from textiles to machinery, GTRI Founder Ajay Srivastava said. 

"In 2024, China bought $62.6 billion of Russian oil, more than India's $52.7 billion, yet faces no such penalties." Srivastava further noted that Washington avoids targeting Beijing because of China's leverage over critical materials such as gallium, germanium, rare earths, and graphite, vital for US defence and technology.