"Pushpa Jhukega Nahi Saala" — India Hits Back with Strategy, Not Surrender
Shimla, August 7:
The United States' latest threat to slap a 50% tariff on Indian exports has triggered sharp responses from policy watchers — but not the kind that come with folded hands. Instead, a new chorus is rising: Pushpa jhukega nahi saala. Nor will India.
A Shimla based policy expert CA Rajeev Sood says the move by the US is less of a routine trade adjustment and more of a geopolitical power play — one that demands not panic, but purpose.
“This is not the moment to plead or protest. It’s time to pivot and retaliate smartly — not emotionally,” he said in a sharp op-ed that’s now making waves in trade circles.
The Tariff Threat is Real Now
The Trump administration raised tariffs on imports from countries like India has left sectors such as textiles, pharmaceuticals, and engineering bracing for impact.
MSMEs, which form the backbone of India’s export engine, could be among the hardest hit.
But Sood argues this could be a defining moment for India — much like the title character from the film Pushpa, who refused to bow under pressure.
“Retaliate Smartly, Not Emotionally”
Rather than rushing into tit-for-tat tariffs, Sood suggests a more calibrated and confident approach:
Diversify trade beyond the US — towards the EU, ASEAN, and African markets.
Strengthen domestic manufacturing under the next phase of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Climb the value chain — investing in AI, semiconductors, green tech and sunrise sectors he said.
Leverage global forums like WTO, G20, and QUAD — and assert India as a rule-shaper, not just a rule-taker.
“Pushpa didn’t react with rage. He responded with strategy. So must we,” he writes.
From Pressure to Power
“This tariff threat must push us to reduce dependency, reform faster, and rise higher,” says Sood, who believes India’s resilience lies not in bending to global powers, but in building strategic autonomy.
He warns against viewing Trump as a benevolent global leader. “We’re dealing with a ruthless capitalist — not a compassionate ally.
"We, the inventors of chess, must play smarter — with strategy and patience.”
India Won’t Bow
In a world where trade is increasingly weaponised. India must stand tall — not with rhetoric, but with reform.
Because like Pushpa, India jhukega nahi.