Trump calls India 'dead economy,' sparks nuclear warning US President Donald Trump's controversial dismissal of India as a "dead economy" has triggered fierce political backlash in New Delhi and an ominous nuclear warning from Moscow, escalating tensions just days after he imposed sweeping 25% tariffs on Indian goods. Trump's inflammatory remarks came via a post on Truth Social Thursday, where he declared: "I don't care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care". The comments followed his announcement of punitive tariffs targeting India's energy and defense trade with Russia amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict. Political Firestorm Erupts in India The "dead economy" characterization unexpectedly found support from an unlikely ally: opposition leader Rahul Gandhi. Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, the Congress MP agreed with Trump's assessment, stating: "Everybody knows that the Indian economy is a dead economy. I am glad that President Trump has stated a fact". Gandhi doubled down on social media, posting "THE INDIAN ECONOMY IS DEAD. Modi killed it" while listing demonetization and failed economic policies as evidence. The endorsement created an immediate political crisis for Gandhi's own party, with fellow Congress MP Rajeev Shukla contradicting his leader by calling Trump's statement "wrong" and defending India's position as one of the world's fastest-growing economies. BJP Launches Counterattack The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party responded with scathing criticism of both Trump and Gandhi. BJP IT chief Amit Malviya called Gandhi's remarks a "shameful insult to the aspirations, achievements, and well-being of the Indian people," adding that "the only thing truly 'dead' here is Rahul Gandhi's own political credibility". Party leaders cited India's robust economic indicators, including the International Monetary Fund's upgraded growth forecast of 6.9% for 2025 and the World Bank's description of India as the "standout growth story" of the decade. BJP spokesman Sambit Patra questioned whose side Gandhi was "really on" while highlighting India's low inflation and high manufacturing indices. Medvedev Issues Nuclear Warning Russia's response proved even more ominous. Former President Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, issued a thinly veiled nuclear threat in response to Trump's dismissal of Russian and Indian economies as "dead". Writing on Telegram, Medvedev referenced the Cold War-era "Dead Hand" nuclear deterrent system, warning Trump to "remember how dangerous the fabled 'Dead Hand,' which doesn't even exist, could be". The system, also known as Perimeter, was designed to automatically launch nuclear retaliation even if Russia's leadership was eliminated. "If some words from the former president of Russia trigger such a nervous reaction from the high-and-mighty president of the United States, then Russia is doing everything right," Medvedev added.
