By: Express Web DeskNew Delhi | September 12, 2025 06:25 PM IST 2 min readOn Russia, Tharoor observed that ties had been stable and may even grow “warmer.” (Credit: CREDAI X)Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has blamed US President Donald Trump’s tariffs for job losses in India and accused him of disregarding conventional diplomatic standards.The Trump administration has levied 25 per cent reciprocal tariffs on India with another 25 per cent levy stacked on top of it for New Delhi’s purchase of oil and weapons from Moscow. To offset the impact of the “mercurial president,” Tharoor said India must diversify export markets, pointing out that 1.35 lakh jobs have already been lost in Surat’s gems and jewellery sector as well as in seafood and manufacturing.Speaking at a CREDAI conference, Tharoor remarked: “Mr. Trump is a very mercurial individual, and the American system gives the President an amazing amount of leeway. Even though there have been 44 or 45 presidents before him, no one has ever seen this kind of behaviour from the White House.”He described Trump as an “unusual president” by every standard. “Have you ever heard any world leader openly say he deserves a Nobel Peace Prize, or boast that all countries want to ‘kiss my ass’? Or dismiss India and Russia as dead economies? Trump is unusual, and I would beg you not to judge our performance by his behaviour,” he added.On tariffs, Tharoor said they had severely hurt India’s exports. “The initial 25 per cent tariff made many products unviable, and the additional 25 per cent penalty has made it virtually impossible to compete in the US market. The extra levy is not a tariff, it is sanctions for buying Russian oil and that’s unfair when China is importing far more.”He said India has no choice but to tighten its belt and move forward, while exploring new markets. The recent trade agreement with the UK, he noted, could boost exports. “We also need to diversify our political communication with other countries. We cannot afford to sit back and act like we have no other options,” he said.On Russia, Tharoor observed that ties had been stable and may even grow “warmer.” He also urged India to find common ground with Europe to create an Indo-European pole with greater global clout.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd