Former Reserve Bank Governor Raghuram Rajan has sparked a heated debate with his comments on US tariffs on India. He said the Trump administration did not raise duties because of Russian oil imports. Instead, he claimed the US reacted to how India responded to Donald Trump’s remarks about a military truce with Pakistan after Operation Sindoor.
Rajan spoke at an event at the University of Zurich. He said Pakistan supported Trump’s version of events, while India did not. He added that Pakistan received a 19 per cent tariff, while India faced a 50 per cent rate. His remarks from December 4 went viral and triggered strong criticism online.
He explained that India and Pakistan reached a ceasefire after the Pahalgam attack. India carried out Operation Sindoor to target terror groups in Pakistan. Trump later claimed he stopped the conflict. However, India said the ceasefire followed direct talks between military officials.
Pakistan first denied this claim but later backed Trump. It even nominated him for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize.
Users on social media rejected Rajan’s view. Many said India paid a higher tariff because it refused to accept a false story, while Pakistan tried to please Washington.
