Amitabh Kant Says Protectionism In U.S. Is Of Highest Order

In a sharp retort, India's G20 sherpa Amitabh Kant Friday said Americans do protectionism of the highest order and advocate laissez-faire for the developing countries as he dismissed U.S. ambassador Eric Garcetti's suggestion of reforms in India's taxation and regulatory framework.

Speaking at the ongoing Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF), Kant said the government will make India a global champion through the 'Make In India' initiative and by getting the best practices, 'not necessarily following what the American ambassador is advocating in India'.

Garcetti, while addressing the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC) on Tuesday, said the rhetoric that everything has to be made in India could slow down the pace of the country's growth and pitched for change in 'export control and export policies' in India for it to achieve its goals in the economic sphere.

'The US has grown with protectionism... through its CHIPS Act and through its Inflation Reduction Act, it has said 'we'll provide subsidization only to companies which produce hydrogen in the USA'. Its protectionism is of the highest order.

'Americans do protectionism and they advocate laissez-faire for the developing countries... So don't get carried away with what the US ambassador is saying, the U.S. ambassador is speaking the US language, we should speak the Indian language,' Kant said amid thunderous applause from the audience.

The former NITI Aayog CEO also accused America of doing exactly the same on the climate change front as well, claiming the U.S. consumes '90% of the carbon space in the world' in comparison to India's 1.5% only.

India, he argued, should be entitled to '17.5%' of the carbon space.

'They (US) are neither providing you (India) finance, nor are they providing you technology , and they are trying to teach you lessons? Don't go by what the U.S. ambassador is telling us, we should do what is in the interest of India, we should do what is in the interest of the Indian citizens,' he added.

Unveiling his latest book 'The Elephant Moves: India's New Place in the World', which he co-authored with Amit Kapoor, Kant said not many realise how we in the last 8-9 years have built a completely 'new India' in terms of infrastructure.

His laundry list of the country's achievements includes building 40 million homes, 88,000 km of roads and highways and so on.

'We built 110 million toilets, which is like making a toilet for every citizen of Germany, we have provided piped water connection to 253 million citizens of India, which is like providing piped water connection to every citizen of Brazil,' Kant added.

Touted as the 'biggest literary festival in the world', JLF 2024 is hosting some of the world's best thinkers, writers, and speakers till Feb. 5.