THE ASIAN INDEPENDENT UK
Bal Ram Sampla
Geopolitics
Donald Trump’s administration has put heavy taxes on goods coming from India. These are called tariffs. The US now charges a 50% tax on many Indian products. This means Indian companies have to pay much more money to sell their goods in America.
When America put these high taxes on Indian goods, India got angry. The Indian government and business leaders felt this was unfair. They decided to encourage their people to stop buying American products as a way to protest.
The Boycott Call
A famous Indian yoga teacher named Ramdev told people to boycott American food chains. He said Indians should not go to McDonald’s, KFC, Subway, Pepsi, or Coca-Cola. His message was simple: if America hurts Indian businesses with tariffs, then Indians should stop giving money to American businesses.
Why This Hurts McDonald’s
McDonald’s is seen as an American brand, even though many of its restaurants in India are run by Indian partners. When people are angry at America, they take it out on American companies. This is called nationalism – when people support their own country by avoiding foreign brands.
Because of the boycott calls and anti-American feelings, fewer Indians are eating at McDonald’s. People who used to go there regularly are now choosing Indian food chains instead. Young people, who are McDonald’s main customers, are especially joining the boycott movement.
McDonald’s Difficult Position
McDonald’s finds itself caught in the middle of a trade war between two governments. The company cannot control what tariffs Trump puts on Indian goods. But it still suffers when Indians get angry and stop buying their food. This shows how trade wars between countries can hurt businesses that have nothing to do with the original problem.
The Bigger Picture
This situation shows how connected the world economy is today. When politicians in Washington make decisions about trade, it can affect a hamburger restaurant thousands of miles away in Mumbai or Delhi. McDonald’s sales decline in India is not because their food got worse or more expensive. It happened because of politics and trade disputes between countries.
The lesson is clear: in today’s world, businesses can be hurt by political decisions they cannot control. McDonald’s success in India now depends partly on whether the US and India can solve their trade problems.
References
1.https://www.businesstoday.in/india/story/no-pepsi-coca-cola-mcdonalds-after-trumps-50-tariffs-ramdev-calls-for-boycott-of-american-companies-491381-2025-08-28
2.https://www.newsweek.com/india-boycott-us-products-pepsi-mcdonalds-2121498
3.https://edition.cnn.com/2025/09/05/india/us-india-tariff-tensions-modi-intl-hnk
