• Modi encourages the use of local products amid US trade tensions.
• Call to boycott American brands to promote "Swadeshi" goods.
• India's market is significant for US consumer goods.
• Commerce Minister Goyal to visit Washington for trade discussions.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a public address on Sunday urged citizens to stop using foreign-made products and embrace local alternatives, promoting a self-reliant initiative as trade relations with the United States deteriorate. Following a 50% tariff imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump on Indian imports, Modi has been vocal about the "Swadeshi" campaign, which encourages the purchase of Indian-made goods, according to Reuters and Dawn.

In his address, Modi stated, "A lot of products we use daily are foreign-made, we just don't know ... we will have to get rid of them." He further urged shopkeepers to promote products made in India, suggesting that such actions would enhance the country's economic growth, according to Channel News Asia and Reuters.

Notably, India's 1.4 billion populace represents a substantial market for U.S. consumer goods, a segment that has seen extensive penetration into smaller towns via platforms like Amazon. Modi's call to action aligns with the recent rise in campaigns advocating for local goods. India's Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is also set to visit Washington soon to negotiate trade, which contributes to the ongoing efforts to mend bilateral relations, as noted by Dawn and Channel News Asia.