India’s growth as the third largest economy in the world has been possible not just because of the country’s leadership, but also due to the hard work of its people, and this would enable the collective growth of the Asian continent, Senthil Thondaiman, leader of Ceylon Workers’ Congress, has said.
Addressing the inauguration of a conference on the theme “International Trade in a Climate-integrated Global Economy” organised by the PG and Research Department of Economics, St. Joseph’s College in Tiruchi, Mr. Thondaiman said that India’s economic growth was laudable, especially in the current precarious geopolitical developments.
“U.S. President Donald Trump is levying taxes arbitrarily on all nations, affecting several industries at the same time. Similarly, the war between Russia and Ukraine, affects not only the people of those two nations, but also their trading partners like India. Seeing America’s haphazard policies of late, I feel that countries like India have already begun planning for a future where their economy does not rely on anyone else. The sudden change in taxation policies by the U.S., and the emergence of a new economic relationship with European countries, has prompted India to work towards self-sufficiency in the long term,” said Mr. Thondaiman.
Mr. Thondaiman encouraged students to become a part of the nation’s success story. “The business tycoons of today did not have the opportunities or technological expertise that you have; when you reach their stature a few decades from now, you should be driving the change. From the days of the Cholas, when the kings impacted the trade and wealth of many nations, even today, many of the CEOs of leading companies today, are from Tamil Nadu,” he said.
The two-day conference includes keynote lectures by invited experts from various institutions, to examine economic sustainability in the face of climate change and market efficiency versus geopolitical strategies.
Published – February 23, 2026 08:45 pm IST
