Congress MP Jairam Ramesh mounted a sharp political offensive against the Modi government over the India–US interim trade understanding, claiming that diplomatic symbolism has outweighed national interest. Citing the newly issued United States–India Joint Statement, Ramesh remarked that “Namaste Trump jeete, Howdy Modi haare,” arguing that the document’s deliberate lack of detail conceals an arrangement that tilts decisively in Washington's favour rather than New Delhi's.
The India–US interim trade deal, aimed at strengthening bilateral economic ties, is being projected by the government as a confidence-building step towards a broader free trade agreement. However, critics argue that the framework prioritises market access for US agriculture and energy while offering India little clarity on services, labour mobility, or tariff relief. They warn that such asymmetry could deepen India’s trade dependence without delivering reciprocal benefits.
According to Ramesh, five clear consequences emerge from the joint statement. He said India will effectively be forced to stop importing Russian oil or face punitive tariffs of up to 25 per cent, undermining energy security and strategic autonomy. He also warned that import duties on US agricultural products may be reduced or scrapped, placing Indian farmers at a disadvantage against heavily subsidised American producers.
Ramesh claimed India’s imports from the US could triple, reversing a long-standing trade surplus into a deficit. He further pointed out that the agreement offers no assurances for India’s IT and services sectors, while Indian goods exports are likely to face higher duties, weakening domestic manufacturing competitiveness.
AAP MP Sanjay Singh echoed these concerns, calling the agreement an “immense betrayal” of Indian farmers. He argued that opening agricultural markets to the US would devastate rural livelihoods, as American farmers receive massive annual subsidies. Singh also criticised the scaling down of Russian oil imports, alleging that the government had compromised national interests under foreign pressure.
Congress leader Udit Raj questioned the economic logic of replacing discounted Russian oil with costlier imports from the US or Venezuela, noting that Indian refineries are not calibrated for such crude. He demanded a clause-by-clause debate in Parliament. PDP MLA Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi urged the government to ensure India’s economic interests are not surrendered to appease global capital or political allies.
Together, the opposition voices argue that beneath diplomatic optics, the interim trade deal risks selling short India’s farmers, industry, and strategic autonomy. |
