Ahmedabad, Aug 25 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hit out at the Congress, saying the party, which ruled India for 60 to 65 years, made the nation dependent on other countries in order to indulge in "import scams".

Addressing a gathering in Ahmedabad after launching multiple projects, he asserted interests of farmers, cattle rearers and small scale industries were paramount and "pressure on us may increase, but we will bear it", comments coming in the backdrop of the ongoing tariffs row with the US.

"Our government is committed to providing dignified living conditions for the poor in cities," said the PM, who is on a two-day Gujarat visit.

Modi told the gathering that 25 crore people in India have been lifted out of poverty in the last 11 years of the BJP-led government's rule at the Centre. PTI PD VT RSY

Trade dependence criticized as enabling import scams, linked to tariff tensions and calls for stronger domestic industry protection. The Prime Minister alleged past creation of trade dependence that facilitated import scams and linked that critique to current tariff tensions, framing trade policy and customs enforcement as instruments of economic sovereignty. He concurrently emphasized policy priorities for farmers, cattle rearers, and small-scale industries, and presented infrastructure projects as measures to reduce poverty and bolster domestic industry resilience against import exposure and tariff volatility.