Brazil’s president confronts the U.S. leader head-on, sparking questions in Delhi about India’s passive stance
India is bracing for a 25% tariff on its exports to the United States starting August 1, and so far, there’s been silence from the top. But halfway around the world, Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is making it very clear he won’t take trade bullying lying down.
In a sharply worded interview with The New York Times, Lula made it known he expected respect from Washington — and especially from President Donald Trump. It was as much a diplomatic message as it was a personal one. The contrast with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s approach couldn’t be starker.
Lula’s Blunt Message to Washington
Lula didn’t mince words. “Seriousness does not require subservience,” he told NYT, adding that respect should be mutual, no matter how big the trading partner.
He wasn’t just talking about steel or soybeans. This was a broader response to Trump’s escalating rhetoric and tariff threats, including a possible 50% duty on Brazilian goods. In many ways, Lula seemed to be voicing what several leaders have likely felt but haven’t said out loud.
There was also the Bolsonaro angle. Lula continues to push the U.S. on accountability regarding former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who faces charges connected to the January 2023 riots in Brasília. Trump, seen as ideologically aligned with Bolsonaro, hasn’t been cooperative.
That’s added a new layer of friction between the two countries.
Modi’s Silence Is Getting Loud
Modi, meanwhile, hasn’t said a word — at least publicly.
Even as Trump claimed credit for supposedly mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan following border skirmishes this summer, New Delhi offered no correction. That’s despite the fact that India’s Ministry of External Affairs has privately told journalists there was no such intervention.
In Parliament on Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi didn’t let it slide.
The Leader of Opposition asked, point-blank: why isn’t Modi defending India’s dignity? “The Prime Minister should make it clear to the people of India that we are not weak,” Gandhi said. “Why has he not replied to Trump’s statement?”
One line stood out from Gandhi’s speech: “Lula asked for respect. Why can’t Modi do the same?”
What the Tariffs Mean for India
Trump’s announcement of the 25% tariff came suddenly last week. While not entirely unexpected, the scale and timing caught Indian exporters off guard.
The new duties affect a range of Indian products:
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Textile and garment exports will face higher costs
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Pharma shipments — especially generics — are on the list
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Steel and aluminum sectors are bracing for big hits
According to a Commerce Ministry official who spoke off the record, the tariffs could impact $6.4 billion worth of trade annually.
India–U.S. Trade Snapshot
| Category | 2024 Exports to U.S. | % of Total Indian Exports |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmaceuticals | $9.2 billion | 7.6% |
| Textiles & Apparel | $7.8 billion | 6.4% |
| Engineering Goods | $6.5 billion | 5.5% |
| Gems & Jewellery | $10.3 billion | 8.2% |
| Software & Services | $27.9 billion | 22.3% |
Indian exporters are rattled. The Tiruppur Exporters’ Association has already issued a statement warning that the move could cost 100,000 jobs if no relief or renegotiation is offered.
Global Perception: Modi vs Lula
The optics are impossible to ignore.
Lula, a former union leader, is leaning on decades of experience fighting uphill battles — and it shows. His messaging is direct, his posture firm. Brazil’s press is cheering him on.
In India, it’s more complicated. Modi has cultivated a strongman image at home, but on the global stage, his personal rapport with Trump now looks like a liability. For someone who once famously hugged Trump in Houston during the “Howdy Modi” event, the silence now feels strategic — and maybe a little awkward.
One retired Indian diplomat, speaking to The Telegraph, put it bluntly: “This is the cost of making foreign policy personal. When the friend turns on you, you have no script.”
Why This Matters More Than It Seems
This isn’t just about tariffs.
India and Brazil are both part of BRICS, and both want a greater say in global economic forums. But while Lula is taking steps to reshape those relationships, India is playing defense.
There’s also a question of precedent. If Trump, in his second term, starts using tariffs as a political weapon, other middle-power economies will be watching closely.
What Lula did may serve as a blueprint. What Modi didn’t do might become a cautionary tale.
For now, though, the silence from Raisina Hill continues. And in that silence, critics say, is a message of its own.
