Indian Companies Urge US Brand Boycott Amid Tariff Tensions

Amid escalating trade tensions between India and the United States, Dabur, a major Indian consumer goods company, is leveraging nationalism by urging consumers to boycott American brands like Colgate-Palmolive. This move follows U.S. President Donald Trump's recent imposition of tariffs of up to 50% on Indian imports, which has spurred a wider campaign led by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi encouraging the use of “Swadeshi,” or made-in-India goods. Dabur's front-page ad in the Times of India featured unbranded toothpaste packs resembling Colgate's packaging, labeling it as an American brand and promoting Dabur as the patriotic choice. Despite Dabur's nationalist advertising, the ad included a QR code linking to Amazon India, highlighting the complex business ties as Amazon dominates a significant share of India's e-commerce market. Market analysts describe these efforts as “moment marketing,” capitalizing on current nationalist sentiment, while other Indian companies like Amul are also promoting local products. Colgate holds a dominant 43% share of India's toothpaste market, with Dabur in third place at 17%, underscoring the competitive stakes in this symbolic and commercial battle.