In the latest salvo of an increasingly tense standoff, former U.S. President Donald Trump triggered global attention by declaring the Indian economy “dead” while announcing a sweeping 25% tariff on all Indian imports. The comment, posted on Trump’s social media platform Truth Social, has ignited political reactions in both countries and raised eyebrows across diplomatic and economic circles.
To fact-check this bold and controversial claim, NDTV posed a simple question to five major artificial intelligence platforms — all developed in the United States: ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini, Meta AI, and Copilot. The question was direct: “Is the Indian economy dead?”
The unanimous verdict from these leading AI models firmly contradicted Trump’s assertion, painting a dramatically different picture of India’s economic reality.
AI Platforms Deliver a Unified Rebuttal
- ChatGPT responded, “India’s economy is far from dead. It’s dynamic. It is ambitious.”
- Grok, Elon Musk’s AI model, stated, “No, the Indian economy is not dead. It remains one of the fastest-growing major economies globally.”
- Gemini, Google’s AI, affirmed, “The Indian economy is characterised by strong growth.”
- Meta AI echoed the sentiment: “The Indian economy is not dead. It’s one of the fastest-growing major economies globally.”
- Copilot, Microsoft’s AI assistant, bluntly declared: “Not even close. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.”
These responses from America’s own AI technologies undermine the credibility of Trump’s remarks and bolster the prevailing view that India is on a robust growth trajectory.
Tariff Hike and Russia Tensions
Trump’s fiery post also included a broadside against India’s growing trade relationship with Russia, particularly its continued imports of Russian crude oil and defense equipment. Declaring that “All things not good!” Trump confirmed that Indian imports would face a 25% tariff plus an additional penalty, effective August 1.
“I don’t care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care. We have done very little business with India, their tariffs are too high, among the highest in the world,” Trump wrote.
His statement reflects growing frustration within Trump’s camp over India’s energy and defense dealings with Moscow, particularly as the U.S. and its allies push to isolate Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
Domestic Political Fallout in India
Trump’s comments sparked a political firestorm back in India. Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal swiftly dismissed the “dead economy” label, emphasizing that India remains the world’s fastest-growing major economy and is well on its way to becoming the third largest economy globally.
On the other hand, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi seized the opportunity to criticize the Modi government’s handling of the economy. He echoed Trump’s sentiments, saying, “He is right. Everybody knows this except the prime minister and the finance minister. The Indian economy is a dead economy.”
His remarks were met with fierce backlash from BJP leaders. Party spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill countered sharply:
“Rahul Gandhi says ‘India is a dead economy’. He seems to be confusing the Indian economy with Pakistan’s! Economy is ‘Alive & Kicking’. Rahul Gandhi’s logic is dead. India: >4ᵗʰ Largest Economy, >2ⁿᵈ Largest Mobile Phone Manufacturer, >3ʳᵈ Largest Automobile Manufacturer, >4ᵗʰ Strongest Stock Market. Pehle tolo, phir bolo.”
India’s Russian Oil Imports at the Core
At the heart of this escalating tension lies India’s oil trade with Russia. Before the Ukraine war, Russian crude accounted for a negligible 0.2% of India’s oil imports. Since the outbreak of the war and the availability of discounted Russian oil, that figure has surged to between 35% and 40%, making Russia the top supplier of crude to India.
New Delhi has defended its stance, citing energy affordability, national interest, and the principle of strategic autonomy — a policy that allows India to make independent foreign policy decisions without external pressure.
Growing Rift, But Relations Still Critical
Despite the growing divide on trade and geopolitics, both countries continue to emphasize the importance of their strategic partnership. The U.S.-India relationship — particularly in the context of countering China in the Indo-Pacific — remains crucial. But Trump’s aggressive trade posture, combined with his criticism of India’s economic trajectory, signals a turbulent phase ahead.
#TrumpIndiaTensions #IndianEconomy #AIvsTrump #USIndiaTrade #RussianOil #RahulGandhi #PiyushGoyal #ModiGovernment #IndoUSRelations #IndiaGrowthStory #MakeInIndia #StrategicAutonomy #TruthSocial #TariffWar #GlobalGeopolitics #AIFactCheck #IndiaRussiaTies #IndiaFourthLargestEconomy