NEW DELHI: Amid escalating developments stemming from US-imposed tariffs on India, the RSS-affiliated Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) has launched a nationwide campaign urging citizens to boycott foreign products and embrace indigenous (Swadeshi) goods.
The campaign gained momentum on Sunday with a symbolic demonstration held under the 'Swadeshi, Suraksha and Swavlamban' campaign in Connaught Place and its surrounding areas. Its aim is to inspire a mass movement advocating the use of domestically produced goods.
Dr Ashwani Mahajan, National Co-convener of the Swadeshi Jagran Manch, in a statement welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s emphasis on Swadeshi products, said that the organisation firmly believes that the nation's prosperity lies in self-reliance and the use of indigenous products.
"In the current circumstances of global uncertainties, where global value chains, payment systems and global currencies are all being weaponised, the USA and other countries are becoming more and more protectionist and blocking global exports using tariff walls and unjust non-tariff barriers, goods are being dumped based on excess capacities by some countries, especially China, and conspiracy to eliminate our manufacturing, Swadeshi can be an important means of protecting our national interests," the RSS-affiliated SJM stated.
With the launch of the 'Swadeshi Suraksha evam Swavalamban Abhiyaan' on 12 June 2025, in collaboration with a wide network of traders, industry associations and social organisations, the Swadeshi movement has received renewed impetus. The objective is to raise awareness throughout the country to support the vision of making India great again — what the Prime Minister refers to as 'MIGA'.
Mahajan remarked, "The Swadeshi movement in India's freedom struggle was not only against the British colonial rule but also against the British colonial rule. It was not just a movement to achieve political independence from the rule of India, but also an assertion of economic dignity, cultural identity and civilisational sovereignty."
He continued further, "The new digital monopolies – Amazon, Walmart (Flipkart) and other Western e-commerce giants – are the 21st century East India Company. These platforms are undermining India’s traditional retail trade, marginalising millions of small traders. These are not just platforms – they are digital empires that flout rules and lobby for policy changes to favour their monopolistic ambitions."
Further stressing the movement’s vision, he added, "At Swadeshi Jagran Manch, we understand that India must engage with the world. But we reject uncritical globalisation that turns India into a market for others’ products and destroys our own production capacity."
He called on citizens to take part in the 'Swadeshi Suraksha evam Swavalamban Abhiyaan', emphasising that the ultimate aim is to "make our India great again."