India says some countries are trying to slow its rise as a power after tariffs

Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said Sunday that "some are not happy with the speed" at which the country is progressing and accused certain international players of trying to make Indian-made products more expensive to reduce their competitiveness, amid a growing trade dispute following former U.S. President Donald Trump's imposition of a 50% tariff on Indian goods.

"'We're everyone's bosses,' they say... How is India growing so fast? And many are trying to make Indian-made products more expensive than those produced in other countries, so that the world won't buy them," Singh said at a national event on Sunday.

"But India is advancing so rapidly that no world power can prevent it from becoming a major power," he added, before emphasizing that many products "are not only manufactured on Indian soil for domestic consumption, but are also exported to countries around the world."

The statements come amid a trade conflict that escalated this week with the United States' decision to double tariffs on Indian imports to 50% in retaliation for New Delhi's purchases of Russian oil.

Washington maintains that the measure seeks to pressure Moscow over the war in Ukraine.

The Indian government called these tariffs "unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable" and promised "all necessary actions" to protect its interests, arguing that its energy policy responds to the need to ensure affordable energy for a population of 1.4 billion people.

The minister also highlighted that India has moved from being the world's eleventh-largest economy in 2014 to among the top four, and that defense exports have increased from 600 crore rupees (about $7.2 million) to over 24 billion rupees (about $287 million) over the past decade.