Trump’s Tariffs, Global Chaos and Opportunities for India

The aggressive tariff policy followed by the US president is shaking up the world economy, old alliances and the old world order. President Trump has not only imposed tariffs on its trading partners but has also blocked the WTO's rules, shattering the institution. He is pushing for the purchase of Greenland while regularly striking India through policy initiatives or statements. ‘America First’ policy and Trump’s MAGA are cracking the global order and alliances. In the case of Europe, the issue of Greenland is becoming a bone of contention among the NATO partners (the US and the European countries). His policy choices are ransacking and negatively affecting the trade, alliances and trust everywhere. This move by Trump would have broader consequences for the world, the US and the US dollar in the coming days.

Tariffs Demolish WTO Rules

The US President Trump's 2025 tariffs are going completely against the WTO rules. The US is ignoring WTO limits as per WTO rules on non-discrimination and fair disputes. The WTO's Appellate Body, the dispute settlement body of the WTO, has been in crisis since 2019. The US has blocked the appointment of new judges, raising the issue of overreach and sovereignty. This has weakened the Appellate body, and as a result,t the unilateral tariffs imposed by the US remain unpunished. China has filed complaints against the US challenging the US tariffs, but nothing happened, and nothing is expected to be enforced because ofthe dominant position of the US in the WTO. It is pushing other countries to opt for solo protectionism and focusing bilateral and regional alliances. This has led to friendshoring. As per the UN forecast, post-Trump’s tariffs, the global growth has dipped to 2.7% in 2026.

A R Rahman: Music Composer Turns Hitman

According to A.R. Rahman, 'Chhava' is a communal film, yet the Hindu-majoritarian filmmakers of this communal film allowed A.R. Rahman to compose the music, and he happily composed the music for Chhava. It seems both the filmmakers and he have very big hearts. The filmmakers gave him work despite him being Muslim, and he contributed his music to the film despite it being communal! Or perhaps he only found out the film was communal after it was made, and the filmmakers only found out he was Muslim after the film was made. Well, it worked out for both of them.

Anyway.

In this same Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, and Saif Ali Khan are big stars, but even people like Emraan Hashmi, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Huma Qureshi, Arshad Warsi, Nushrratt Bharuccha, and Nargis Fakhri are getting work. Aren't they Muslim?

Who is Next? Russia, Chana or India

We all may have an illusion that we, as human beings, have become a civilised race, but the fact is that we still are living in those same barbaric days when muscle power used to decide who would own the land. Even today, if you don't have muscle power, you have no sovereignty and dignity. Anybody can snatch from you, and if you resist those powerful people, they will kill you, declaring you a threat to the human race!

Saddam Hussein, Muammar Gaddafi and Nicolas Maduro (yet to be killed) were overthrown and killed by the US. Not because they attacked the US, but because they challenged the US hegemony and the Petro-Dollar to survive the US sanctions!

Investment in Indian Companies is an Investment in the Indian Eonomy

Mark Mobious of Mobious Capital thinks that Sensex will soon touch the high of 1,00,000 points. Not only this, but he thinks that investment in Adani or any such companies is an investment in India!

Is it really so and that simple?

Truly speaking, yes. This is 100% correct. These companies are one of the three stakeholders of the Indian economy. Two other stakeholders are consumers/citizens and regulators/ government. It is the regulator's duty and responsibility to ensure that the interests of the two other stakeholders are taken care of while ensuring capacity and capabilities building in the economy. However, whenever there is any effort by the government to provide support to businesses, there are controversies. It's not a trend of the day but a historical fact! There is a political narrative out there that claims that the investment in companies, and particularly Adani, is corruption and perhaps a crime!

SJ-100 MoU to Revolutionise Indian Regional Aviation Sector

India's HAL and Russia's UAC have signed an MoU in Moscow to produce the SJ-100 commuter aircraft in India, under which India will have the rights to manufacture civil commuter aircraft SJ-100 for domestic usage. SJ-100 is a small commuter aircraft.

This will mark the beginning of a new era in India's civil aircraft manufacturing sector. This will lead to the development of indigenous aircraft technology in India in the long term. India has a history of improvising technology in such a way that it becomes cheaper while maintaining the quality. So, one can expect that India will soon produce cheap small aircraft.

Not Adani Group but India is Target

In modern times, assassinations are not aimed at killing the human body. Rather, the assassin focuses on killing the spirit and image of the person. In this process, they first create an alternative perception and narrative about the targeted entities/individuals. Once it is done, they try to erase the person.

The Deep State first employed the short trader Hindenburg, but it couldn't hurt much. Now, the Deep State has hired a better assassin, the Washington Post, to make a killing against an Indian MNC that strategically put forth the Indian interests in a dynamic geopolitical stage of drama.

They have been successful in creating an alternative perception about the Adani Group over the years. You ask any naive person on the road, and that person, with no hesitation, will charge the Adani Group with the allegations of corruption. You ask a single question, 'How?' and that person will fumble and possibly skip the question or run away!

Deepawali Season Sale and Indian Economy

Following the implementation of GST 2.0, consumption has revived in the Indian economy. Deepawali sales increased by 25% this year to ₹5.4 trillion in goods, from ₹4.25 trillion, excluding an additional ₹65,000 crore from services.

All this happened when there was a negative impact on the Indian economy due to Trump's tariffs on Indian exports. This also defies the fears of so-called economists that the three festivals, namely Durga Puja, Deepawali, and Chhath, falling in the same month will hurt this year's Deepawali sales. Bhai Duj and Chhath are yet to be celebrated!

Afghanistan Pakistan Conflict and the USA

The war between Afghanistan and Pakistan at the Durand Line has erupted is attracting the attention of the whole world. However, they have started, it seems that the US has begun implementing its grand plan to seize Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan, which the US vacated on 1 July 2021 after its occupation for 20 years.

The manner in which Pakistan has provoked Afghanistan and initiated unilateral aggression against Afghanistan clearly suggests that Pakistan received orders from US President Donald Trump to do so. Presently, President Trump has been showing his keen interest in Bagram Airbase. Pakistan is trying to please the American President by sacrificing its soldiers.

This conflict will likely drag on for longer than expected, and then, in the name of peace, the US will jump in and seize Bagram Airbase! If it happens in the future, Pakistan will not only fully cooperate with the US in this endeavour but will also put in all its efforts. Afghanistan has been cosying up to India, and it is upsetting for Pakistani establishments. They are not just uncomfortable but want to reverse it as soon as possible. However, at present, post Operation Sindoor, Pakistan is in no position to directly stop India in Afghanistan, so the best option left for it is intervention by the US which wants to get back to Afghanistan through Bagram Airbase.

Taliban's Moral Position is not India's Burden

Most of the so-called intellectuals are unhappy that there was not a single woman in the press conference held at the Embassy of Afghanistan. They were upset not because the Afghan Minister held a press conference in which there were no women, but they were upset by how and why India allowed this to happen. Is this not weird?

However, it is pleasant to witness that the Afghan side finally realised that they made a mistake and reversed that they held another press conference where women journalists were allowed. So the public pressure that was built in India did miracles and even Taliban len Afghan government was forced to change their stance on women; at least in India.

But the question is, why are Indians unhappy with the Indian government for something in which they had no role? It was neither India’s moral responsibility to lecture the Taliban nor in favour of Indian interests. So, India did the right thing by keeping mum on the issue. However, as per the convention and for their kind information, the agitating party must note that the concerned press conference was held in the Embassy of Afghanistan, and it doesn't fall under the jurisdiction of India, but of the Government of Afghanistan.

India must Support Zoho

I have been noticing attacks on Zoho and its founder, Sridhar Vembu, none but by Indian citizens! Why are Indians opposing a homegrown tech company? Earlier, they did the same with Patanjali and Baba Ramdev!

Not for any particular reason, but because both companies got support from the Government of India! The GoI is endorsing them, and they are gaining traction. So, the people in opposition are duty-bound to oppose anything supported by the GoI!

For this group of people, it doesn't matter whether their behaviour hurts the national interests or not. What matters most to them is their high egos and fake feelings of being special!