'Atmanirbhar Bharat': No other country can stop India from becoming self-reliant, says Piyush Goyal

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday that no other country can come in the way of India becoming 'atmanirbhar' (self-reliant). Stating that the government has already formulated a plan in this regard, the Union Minister said: "We are not dependent on any country that could obstruct our way or switch things on and off at their convenience."

Goyal's remarks come days after an additional American duty of 25 per cent on Indian goods took effect, taking the overall tarff to 50 per cent -- the highest under the Trump 2.0 administration's reciprocal tariff policy.  

The additional levy, imposed over India's oil trade relations with Russia, came into force after failed negotiations between officials from the world's largest and fifth-largest economies to explore a trade deal. 

The Modi government has already clarified and responded firmly to Trump's criticism of India's oil purchases from Russia, stating that it will continue imports despite US pressure.

The Commerce and Industry Minister's remarks echoed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Atmanirbhar Bharat" (self-reliant India) call in his Independence Day speech from the ramparts of Red Fort in the national capital, on August 15.

The Prime Minister underscored Atmanirbhar Bharat as one of the key foundational planks for Viksit Bharat (Developed India), praising the nation's advances in defence, technology, energy, space and manufacturing.

His record 103-minute-long Independence Day speech -- the longest by any PM in the country's history -- mentioned Operation Sindoor, with the PM hailing the nation's retaliatory cross-border action following the terrorist attack in J&K in April.

Describing Operation Sindoor as a demonstration of India's self-reliance in defence, the PM emphasised that indigenous capabilities -- including Made-in-India weapons -- enable India to "act decisively and independently".

The Prime Minister also stressed that national security "cannot rely on foreign dependence".