'Not aligned with China, US doesn't want us': Finfluencer's reality check for Indians after Trump's tariff blow

Finfluencer Akshat Shrivastava on Thursday took to social media to give a reality check to Indians after US President Donald Trump's tariff shocker. Shrivastava wrote that many people do not understand the seriousness of the US's high tariffs on India.

Doing some number crunching, the finfluencer mentioned that India is trying to become a middle-income nation and needs as many as trade partnerships as possible. He said that alienating big economies such as the US and China is the fastest way to kill India's growth prospects.

"Our per capita GDP is ranked 120+; we are a poor nation. And, are trying to move to a middle-income country. We require as many partnerships as possible. Especially, with major trading blocks of the world. Alienating big economies is the fastest way to kill our growth prospects: we are not aligned with China & US doesn't want us," he wrote on X.

Furthermore, he explained that India has struggled to grow its manufacturing base and its IT industry is marred by headwinds and job losses. ""Schemes like Make in India have failed spectacularly to the point: where we have sitting CMs inaugurating Tesla showrooms," he wrote.

The finfluencer further highlighted that AI is going to cut labour costs massively, and cheap labour is not an advantage anymore. "We need US's tech stack to build our next tech revolution (post IT). More than they need India's labour," Shrivastava signed off.

Meanwhile, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal addressed the Lok Sabha, emphasising the government's proactive stance in response to the United States' imposition of a 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods. Goyal assured the assembly that the government is committed to protecting these interests.

"Government is examining the impact of the recent events. Ministry of Commerce and Industry is holding talks with exporters, industries and stakeholders," he said.

Goyal highlighted the importance of safeguarding various sectors, stating, "Government gives utmost priority to the welfare of farmers, labourers, entrepreneurs, industrialists, exporters, MSMEs and stakeholders of the industrial sector."

The bilateral trade relationship between India and the US has been under scrutiny, with talks initiated in March 2025 aimed at establishing a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).

Piyush Goyal mentioned that "the goal of this was to finish the first stage of the agreement by October-November 2025."

The announcement by Donald Trump cited India's high tariffs on US goods and described India's non-monetary trade barriers as "obnoxious." He defended the tariffs, stating they are a "penalty" for India's ongoing ties with Russia.