Jairam Ramesh slams PM Modi's 'Huglomacy', says India's foreign policy needs "comprehensive reset"

New Delhi [India], August 6 (ANI): Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday hit out on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for pursuing a headline-grabbing style of "huglomacy" with US President Donald Trump and said that India's foreign policy needs a reset.
The comment came soon after US President Donald Trump slapped additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian imports over Russian oil purchases.
In a post on X, Ramesh wrote several past instances where PM Modi had actively courted Trump, including hosting and attending grand public events, only to now face harsh tariff actions and diplomatic snubs from the US administration.

Prime Minister Modi went to the US and attended a Howdy Modi event in Houston in Sept 2019. President Trump was also present and Mr. Modi broke with all tradition and declared Ab ki Baar Trump Sarkar.

In Feb 2020, President Trump was hosted by Mr. Modi to a gala Namaste Trump…

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) August 6, 2025

"Now President Trump, while still claiming to be a friend of Mr. Modi, has hit India hard and unjustly. While his tariff and penalty actions are simply unacceptable, the fact remains that they also reflect the abysmal failure of Mr. Modi's personalised and headline-grabbing style of huglomacy," Ramesh wrote in a post on X.
He urged PM Modi to learn from former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's foreign policy stance, saying, "India has stood up to the bullying of the US in the 1970s especially under the Prime Ministership of Smt. Indira Gandhi. Instead of defaming, distorting, and denigrating her, Mr. Modi should shed his ego--if indeed that were possible--and take inspiration from the manner in which she stood up to the USA. India's foreign policy and administration needs a comprehensive reset."

"Prime Minister Modi went to the US and attended a Howdy Modi event in Houston in Sept 2019. President Trump was also present and Mr. Modi broke with all tradition and declared 'Ab ki Baar Trump Sarkar'," the post later added.
Earlier in a day, US President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order imposing an additional 25 per cent tariff on imports from India in response to New Delhi's purchase of Russian oil.
According to the order issued by the White House, Trump cited matters of national security and foreign policy concerns, as well as other relevant trade laws, for the increase, claiming that India's imports of Russian oil, directly or indirectly, pose an "unusual and extraordinary threat" to the United States.
After the order, the total tariff on Indian goods will be 50 per cent. While the initial duty becomes effective on August 7, the additional levy will come into effect after 21 days and will be imposed on all Indian goods imported into the US, except for goods already in transit or those meeting specific exemptions.
The Executive Order also allows for modifications based on changing circumstances, including potential retaliation by other countries or steps taken by Russia or India to address the national emergency. (ANI)