A Reuters article states that India, the world’s biggest consumer market, is seeing a rise in requests to boycott US brands following Washington’s 50% tariff on Indian products.
Business executives, nationalists and supporters of Prime Minister NarendraModi have led protests both on and offline in response to the move made by US president Donald Trump.
A campaign to promote “Made in India”, which includes multinationals like McDonald’s and Coca-Cola as well as Apple, Amazon and Starbucks, is gaining momentum. The aim of the campaign is to encourage Indians prioritise their domestic products above foreign goods.
Although there has been no official impact on sales, it is clear that the feeling is growing.
American brands are in the spotlight as India stresses self-reliance
India is home to over 1.4 billion people and is an important growth market for American companies. Meta’s WhatsApp has the most users in India, while Domino’s is present there more than any other brand.
Apple Stores are popular during launch events, but Starbucks cafés continue to be very popular amongst discounters. Pepsi, Coca-Cola and other beverages dominate the shelves of retail stores across the country.
After the US announcement of tariffs, a new wave protests started after which Indian exporters were rattled and bilateral relations strained. As a result, economic nationalism has intensified.
Manish Chowdhary, a Wow Skin Science executive, urges consumers to take heed of countries such as South Korea and make Indian brands internationally recognisable.
Rahm Shastry, from DriveU, has also suggested that India develop alternatives to international tech platforms such as Twitter, Google and YouTube.
The boycott campaign by nationalist groups is intensified
Modi made a strong appeal to self-reliance in a speech he gave on Sunday at a Bengaluru gathering. Modi, without naming specific companies or firms in particular, said that Indian tech firms serve the entire world already and they should focus on domestic needs.
The Swadeshi Janata Manch, affiliated with Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, held rallies across multiple cities that day calling for a boycott of US brands.
List includes Indian soaps, beverages, toothpastes and other products. In social media graphics, the campaign “Boycott Foreign Food Chains” displays McDonald’s logos prominently.
US firms still expanding in Indian market
In spite of the protests in India, American firms continue to grow their presence. Tesla opened its second showroom, in New Delhi this time.
Officials from the US Embassy and India’s Commerce Ministry attended the opening ceremony. Indian retail chains are a fierce competitor for foreign retailers in India, but replicating their success abroad is proving difficult.
Indian software companies such as Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Infosys have already become deeply embedded into the global economy. They provide solutions for clients on all continents.
It remains to be determined whether the boycott campaigns will have a long-lasting impact on the US consumer firms. The call to economic patriotism adds a new layer of tension to an already fraught US-Indian trade relationship.
As new information becomes available, this post US-India Trade tensions trigger calls for boycotting American brands could be updated.
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