MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: You have read about it in history books and several decades later, you are seeing it play out in the form of hashtags on social media and witty brand campaigns-call for swadeshi is back, thanks to Trump tariffs.
Only this time, brands are leading the charge. From homegrown companies taking jibes at American rivals through ad campaigns to brands urging loyalty to desi labels, firms are riding on the swadeshi mood to market their products. Such strategies do not always translate into sales because when Indians shop, they look for value, not typically the brand tag. But some amount of moment marketing doesn't harm, especially ahead of the festive season.
"Such marketing moves by brands are more of an opportunism but Indians are very arm-chair patriotic. If by buying a local product, they think they are being patriotic, they will do it. Such campaigns tend to work in small towns, they rally behind such products," said Abhijat Bharadwaj, chief creative officer at Dentsu Creative Isobar.
Whether it is, Amul's 'Swadeshi Swad' and 'Made in India...iski tariff karo' ads and posts on social media platforms such as X or Dabur's 'Made in India for Indians' ad, pitching consumers to make 'The Swadeshi Choice', vocal for local is the brand flavour of the season. "Amidst tariff imposition by the USA, India stands strong," said Amul in a recent post on X.
Some corporate chiefs have also backed the call for swadeshi. "Be vocal for local, Buy Swadeshi, Build India," Gautam Singhania, chairman and managing director at Raymond, which will celebrate its centenary this month posted recently. Several Indian brands today are not only making in India but also taking local products global. In fact, many global brands are expanding their India sourcing capabilities and setting up shops here. Call it an irony but India is now America's biggest smartphone source, having shipped more smartphones to the US than any other country in Q2 2025, data from Canalys showed.
Brands are tapping into the sentiment to strategise. Godrej Enterprises Group (GEG) will focus on its range of AI-enabled smart appliances and IoT-enabled digital locks made locally this festive season. The vocal for local sentiment reflects a powerful shift in India's consumer mindset, one that celebrates homegrown innovation and self-reliance, said Sumeet Bhojani, head of brand & strategic insights at GEG.
"If the stiff tariff issue settles down or the 50% tariff is brought to a much more reasonable number, even this moment shall pass. If not, expect a fair number of Indian brands coming to the fore either overtly, covertly or subliminally and each one wanting to establish their identity," said business and brand strategy specialist Harish Bijoor, adding that consumers may or may not embrace the moment.
Be Indian, buy Indian has been tried many times in India but consumers will not get easily swayed to buy a brand just because of its Indian roots. "They will buy for value. Patanjali had tried the local vs MNC pitch but it didn't work," said branding and advertising coach Ambi Parameswaran. Unless there is a crusade to join, nationalism in personal consumption is not an active driver for consumers, added Sandeep Goyal, chairman at Rediffusion.
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