Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has backed former US President Donald Trump’s sharp criticism of the Indian economy. Addressing the media on Wednesday, Gandhi agreed with Trump’s remark that India has a “dead economy” and blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government for its alleged mismanagement.

“Yes, Trump is right. Everyone knows the Indian economy is dead, except the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister. I’m glad President Trump has spoken the truth,” Gandhi said. He accused the BJP-led government of destroying the economy just to benefit businessman Gautam Adani. “The BJP has ruined India's economy only to help Adani grow richer. This government does not work for the people, it works for one person,” he alleged.

Referring to the India-US trade relationship, Gandhi claimed that PM Modi would eventually bow down to Trump’s demands. “This trade deal will happen, and Modi will do exactly what Trump says. The government has completely lost control over our economy, foreign policy, and national security,” he said.

Gandhi also questioned the Modi government’s silence on Trump’s repeated claims, including the former US President’s statements that he had helped broker a ceasefire between India and Pakistan and that five Indian jets were shot down. “Trump has made these claims over 30 times. Now he’s threatening 25% tariffs on Indian imports starting August 1. Why is the Prime Minister silent? Why isn’t he defending India’s position? Who is calling the shots?” Gandhi asked.

Trump’s tariff announcement, posted on his social media platform Truth Social, cites India’s continued oil imports from Russia and long-standing trade barriers as key reasons behind the move. The development has sparked concerns over a fresh round of economic tensions between India and the US.

Gandhi concluded by saying that India is paying the price for poor governance. “The main issue today is that the Modi government has weakened every institution, our economy is in crisis, defence is struggling, and our foreign policy has collapsed. They are running the country into the ground while protecting the interests of a few,” he said.