RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday said international trade should happen voluntarily and not under pressure, making a strong pitch for swadeshi and self-reliance.

Speaking at a lecture series to mark the centenary of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Bhagwat emphasised that self-reliance was central to resolving challenges and underlined the importance of giving preference to indigenous products.

“Being aatmnirbhar (self-reliant) does not mean halting imports. The world functions because of interdependence. So export-import will continue. But there should be no compulsion in it,” Bhagwat said.

He clarified that swadeshi did not mean blocking imports of goods that the country already produces or can manufacture easily. “Bringing goods from abroad harms local vendors,” he remarked.

Bhagwat’s comments coincided with the day an additional 25 per cent tariff imposed by US President Donald Trump on India for buying Russian oil came into force.

“Whatever is produced domestically, there is no need to import it. Whatever is essential for life and not manufactured in the country, we can import. Policy should be framed voluntarily, not under duress. That is swadeshi,” Bhagwat added.

(With inputs from PTI