This financial expert has a unique “Umens Volume – Badalo” idea that can save the world from recession, market turmoil, tariff wars

The market was caught off guard this week when former U.S. President Donald Trump announced an immediate tariff of 125% on all Chinese imports. “Based on China’s respect for the world market, I hereby raise the tariffs alleged by the United States to 125%, which will take effect immediately,” Trump declared.

He did not retreat. “At some point, hopefully in the near future, China will realize that days of depriving the United States and other countries are no longer sustainable or acceptable.”

This sharp escalation brought a strategic turn in the long-running U.S.-China trade conflict. At least for the time being, more than 75 U.S. trading partners are exempt from new tariffs. Mexico and Canada, the major players in the USMCA trade agreement, both avoided the worst. However, non-exempt items from these neighbors will still face up to 25% responsibilities, and some Canadian energy and fertilizer products will attract 10% tariffs.

“It’s a negotiation, not a crisis”: Shrivastava

As global investors scramble to assess the consequences, Akshat Shrivastavathe founder of Indian startups and a well-known voice on economic trends urged calm.

“The United States needs to buy things from China (it can offer the best quality at the cheapest price). China needs to sell goods to the United States (it has a good customer base). It’s a symbiotic relationship, for example: egrets and Water Buffalo,” he wrote on X.
His interdependent metaphor eliminates noise. According to Shrivastava, tariff rate hikes are not a sign of collapse, which is a bargaining from public opinion.
“2020 is a real crisis. A few months later, the market (after the fall) has set a record high. 2025 is a created crisis. People have been saying a lot. At the end of the day: it’s a huge negotiation, not a real crisis,” he wrote in another post.

Echoes of 2008 and 2020? Not exactly

Some liken the current market worries to the panic caused by the 2008 financial collapse or the 2020 pandemic. However, Shrivastava opposes these comparisons.

“The market may still be uncertain. However, you can’t compare it to the 2020 or even the 2008 recession,” he noted.

He acknowledges the drama and unpredictability of global trade policies under Trump, but warns not to overreact. “Uncertainty and ego” are part of the process, not evidence of collapse, he said.

A familiar script and higher bets

This is not the first time Trump has used tariffs as a tool to put pressure on trading partners. Between 2018 and 2020, his administration had similar goals for early tariffs on Chinese goods – balancing what he called unfair relations.

What makes this round different is the scale and speed. Applying for a 125% tariff overnight marks the difficult lines and potentially deeper consequences of electronics, machinery and consumer goods.

But the exemption from 75 countries (as a reward for “cooperation”) is that Trump’s administration is more intentional in isolating China than before.

Behind the threat and counter-threat is a fundamental economic reality: the United States and China are each other’s largest trading partners. Their industry, supply chains and consumers are closely intertwined.

Shrivastava’s perspective reflects this. The language may be outspoken, but the information is balanced. For all noise, the fundamentals of trade (on demand, supply and mutual benefit) remain.

Currently, the market may be swaying, but as Shrivastava reminds us, this may be more of a pose than a permanent break. The real test will be how long the standoff lasts, who blinks first.