New Delhi/IBNS: In a bid to corner the Modi government, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Thursday backed US President Donald Trump's statement where he called the Indian economy "dead".

Training his guns on India and its all-weather friend Russia, Trump posted on Truth Social, "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.

"Likewise, Russia and the USA do almost no business together. Let’s keep it that way, and tell Medvedev, the failed former President of Russia, who thinks he’s still President, to watch his words. He’s entering very dangerous territory!"

Weaponsing Trump's statement, Rahul, who is the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, took a jibe at the Modi government.

"Yes, he is right. Everybody knows this except the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister. Everybody knows that the Indian economy is a dead economy. I am glad that President Trump has stated a fact," the Rae Bareli MP told the reporters in the Parliament premises.

Trump on Wednesday announced a 25 percent tariff on imports from India and an added penalty starting on August 1.

The President wrote on Truth Social, "Remember, while India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their Tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the World, and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary Trade Barriers of any Country.

"Also, they have always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia, and are Russia’s largest buyer of ENERGY, along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to STOP THE KILLING IN UKRAINE — ALL THINGS NOT GOOD! INDIA WILL THEREFORE BE PAYING A TARIFF OF 25%, PLUS A PENALTY FOR THE ABOVE, STARTING ON AUGUST FIRST. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. MAGA!"

Later in the day when he was asked about whether he was still open to a deal with India, the President told reporters, "We are talking to them now. We will see what happens. India was the highest or just about the highest-tariff nation in the world...We will see. We are negotiating with India right now."

'Will take steps necessary to secure national interest': India on Trump's tariff announcement

In its first response after Donald Trump's surprise announcement of a 25 percent tariff on goods exported from India to the US along with a 'penalty', the Centre has said it is studying the implications of the move and will take all steps to "secure our national interest".

In a measured statement, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said it has taken note of the announcement and stressed that India remains committed to negotiating a fair bilateral trade agreement with the United States.

It also mentioned that negotiations on the trade deal have been going on for months.

"The Government has taken note of a statement by the US President on bilateral trade.  The Government is studying its implications. India and the US have been engaged in negotiations on concluding a fair, balanced and mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreement over the last few months. We remain committed to that objective," the ministry said in the statement on Wednesday evening.

Stressing that the Centre places the "utmost importance on protecting and promoting the welfare of"  farmers, entrepreneurs, and MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises), the ministry also made a reference to the recently concluded free trade agreement with the United Kingdom.

"The Government will take all steps necessary to secure our national interest, as has been the case with other trade agreements, including the latest Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with the UK," it added.