Trump's aggressive blunders may force American companies and brands pay a bigger price in India

Namo - India's Prime Minister - actually knows how to face challenges and turn disadvantages into Advantage !!

He also knows how to give 'lessons' to his detractors. 

In Bengaluru, the Prime Minister said on Sunday (Aug 10) -- the next big focus should be a “Tech Atmanirbhar Bharat”.

He intends to boost innovation and self-reliance in technology. 

“Now is the time to give more priority to the needs of India and move ahead faster in developing new products,” he said.

Modi also made a "special appeal" for becoming self-reliant, telling a gathering in Bengaluru that Indian technology companies made products for the world but "now is the time for us to give more priority to India's needs."  

Modi was specific too !!

"We have to strengthen the presence of Bengaluru and Karnataka in 'Make in India'. I urge that our products should be of the standards of 'Zero Defect, Zero Effect'. 

That is, there should be defect-free products, and their manufacturing should also not have any negative impact on the environment. 

I expect that the talent of Karnataka will lead this vision of 'Aatmnirbhar Bharat'", the Prime Minister said.  

Now see the impact or it would have been coming in any case.   

On social media, one could see many graphics. One of them read --   

"Boycott foreign food chains", with logos of McDonald's and many other restaurant brands.

On the other hand, there are still some Indians - expected to be in large numbers who are still at a McDonald’s and would say

-- Although they are concerned about the higher tariffs from the US --- protests are expected. But they are also keen to enjoy 49-rupee coffee from American brands -- considered right and good value for money !!

"Tariffs are a matter of diplomacy ...," one such enthusiastic citizen said in Lucknow. 

But life may be still complex and challenging. 

Apple,  Amazon, McDonald's, Coca-Cola etc may face ;music' if the nationalistic call for boycott grows beyond a point. 

No one is still talking immediate sales hit.

But who can rule out the possibility either in an era and in a nation where Nationalism is often linked to jingoism and sheer emotion.

There's a growing chorus on social media and also offline to buy local and ditch American products.

Indian exporters and the millions of workforce are angry. The bilateral ties made so strong after decades of hard work by various stakeholders - business people, diplomats and foreign ministers and Prime Ministers now stand 'semi damaged' just by the whims of an individual.

The big uncle or individual in question is Trump and paradoxically he is eyeing Nobel peace prize too. 

A Reuters report point out :

"India, the world's most populous nation, is a key market for American brands that have rapidly expanded to target a growing base of affluent consumers, many of whom remain infatuated with international labels seen as symbols of moving up in life.

India, for example, is the biggest market by users for Meta's WhatsApp and Domino's has more restaurants than any other brand in the country. Beverages like Pepsi and Coca-Cola often dominate store shelves, and people still queue up when a new Apple store opens or a Starbucks cafe doles out discounts."

Another aspect has also come to the fore.

Tesla launched its second showroom in India in New Delhi, with Monday's opening attended by Indian commerce ministry officials and U.S. embassy officials.

The Swadeshi Jagran Manch group, which is linked to Modi's BJP and RSS, lately took out small public rallies across India urging people to boycott American brands.

"People are now looking at Indian products. It will take some time to fructify," says Ashwani Mahajan of Swadeshi Jagran Manch.

"This is a call for nationalism, patriotism," he has been quoted as saying by Reuters.

He also shared with Reuters a table his group is circulating on WhatsApp, listing Indian brands of bath soaps, toothpaste and cold drinks that people could choose over foreign ones.

Will Namo win the bigger battle ?

PM Modi in an Assam Rifles run pineapple canning unit, Medziphema, Nagaland  

ends