'Use Starlink as bargaining chip': AAP leader Raghav Chadha's advise to Centre on dealing with Donald Trump's tariffs

NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party (MP) Raghav Chadha on Thursday suggested the government should use Elon Musk's

Starlink

satellite internet services as a "bargaining chip" to renegotiate with Donald Trump after the US President's announcement of 27 per cent reciprocal tariffs on India.
"Should we not withhold the requisite approvals for Elon Musk's Starlink who is a visible part of the US administration and use that as a bargaining chip to renegotiate the Trump tariffs?" Chadha asked in the Rajya Sabha.

Musk, the world's richest person, is the head of DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) in the Trump administration.

Chadha continued, "India rolled out the red carpet for the US, but in return, we got tariffs."
He added, "I am severely obsessed with anything which affects India's interest, particularly Indian economy. That is what brings me to this House. I will continue to passionately raise every issue."
The AAP MP also sang a few lines of the Bollywood song 'Accha sila diya tune mere pyaar ka, yaar ne hi loot liya ghar yaar ka.'
Last month, Indian telecom companies Jio and Bharti Airtel announced a partnership with the Musk-led SpaceX to bring Starlink to India.

Donald Trump announces reciprocal tariffs against India
Earlier, US President Trump, while announcing his "Liberation Day" reciprocal tariffs against India and other countries, called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "great friend," but added he also told the prime minister, "You (India) are not treating us (United States) right."
"India, very, very tough. Very, very tough. The prime minister just left. He's a great friend of mine, but I said, 'You're a friend of mine, but you're not treating us right. They charge us 52%. You have to understand, we charge them almost nothing for years and years and decades, and it was only seven years ago, when I came in, that we started with China."
A chart used by the MAGA leader at his “Make America Wealthy Again” event revealed India's 52 per cent tariffs "including currency manipulation and trade barriers," against which the US would now impose a "discounted reciprocal tariff" of 26 per cent.