• Rallies across India call for boycotting US brands like McDonald's and Coca-Cola.
• Trump's 50% tariffs on Indian goods intensify anti-American sentiment.
• Prime Minister Modi advocates for "Made in India" alternatives amidst growing local support.

In response to Donald Trump’s 50% tariffs imposed on Indian goods, major American brands, including McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Amazon, and Apple, are encountering increasing calls for boycotts in India. Business executives and supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi are amplifying anti-American sentiment as they promote local alternatives. This situation is highlighted by the fact that India is a crucial market for American companies, with many affluent consumers favoring international brands as status symbols in daily life, according to Reuters, TRT Global, India Times, and Dawn.

The growing sentiment for local products is echoed through public rallies organized by the Swadeshi Jagran Manch, a group linked to Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, which is calling for a boycott of US brands. In these rallies, participants are encouraged to support domestic alternatives and abandon foreign products. "People are now looking at Indian products. It will take some time to fructify," noted Ashwani Mahajan, co-convener of the group, emphasizing a wave of nationalism and patriotism emerging in this consumer backlash, according to Reuters, TRT Global, and India Times.

Manish Chowdhary, the co-founder of Wow Skin Science, also contributed to this movement by sharing a message on LinkedIn that emphasizes the importance of supporting local manufacturers over international brands. He remarked, "We have lined up for products from thousands of miles away. We have proudly spent on brands that we don't own, while our own makers fight for attention in their own country," highlighting the need for a re-evaluation of consumer preferences and priorities in India, according to Reuters and India Times.

Despite these protests, immediate sales impact remains unclear. Nevertheless, the public are urged to switch to Indian brands as a patriotic duty. The Prime Minister recently made a "special appeal" for self-reliance, advocating for prioritizing Indian needs, reflecting a broader economic focus driven by nationalist sentiment, according to India Times and Dawn.

The stakes are high as Indian consumers show their loyalty to local products. In personal anecdotes, some customers, like Rajat Gupta in Uttar Pradesh, have expressed indifference towards the tariff protests, saying that his enjoyment of affordable products like a 49-rupee coffee from McDonald's shouldn't be entangled in political disputes. "Tariffs are a matter of diplomacy and my McPuff, coffee should not be dragged into it," he commented, reflecting a pragmatic view among some consumers amidst the rising nationalistic tide, as reported by Reuters and Dawn.