Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh on Saturday sought an explanation from the Centre following US President Donald Trump's assertion that India had agreed to 'reduce' tariffs.
Ramesh raised concerns that the reported deal could compromise the interests of Indian farmers and manufacturers.
In a post on X, Ramesh linked Trump’s statement to Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s ongoing visit to Washington, urging the Modi government to clarify its position.
"The Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is in Washington DC to talk trade with the Americans. Meanwhile, President Trump says this. What has the Modi Government agreed to? Are the interests of Indian farmers and of Indian manufacturing being compromised? The PM must take Parliament into confidence when it resumes on March 10th," Ramesh wrote on X.
The Congress party also strongly criticised the government over Trump’s remarks, terming them an "insult" to India. The party questioned whether the Modi government had conceded to Trump’s demands under pressure.
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"The US President says that he is exposing India. This is an insult to India. Trump also said that Narendra Modi reduced the tariffs because of fear of him. Narendra Modi should tell what compromises were made to please Trump? Why was the nation's honour mortgaged?" Congress stated on X.
The party further called for an all-party meeting to discuss the reported tariff reduction and its potential impact on India’s economic interests.
"This is a very serious matter. The Modi government should give an answer to the country on this. Along with this, an all-party meeting should be called to discuss all the issues related to this so that it can be ensured that national interest is paramount," Congress posted on X.
Meanwhile, President Trump, in a nationally televised address, criticised India’s tariff policies, claiming they made it nearly impossible for American businesses to access the Indian market.
"India charges us massive tariffs. Massive. You can't even sell anything in India...They have agreed, by the way; they want to cut their tariffs way down now because somebody is finally exposing them for what they have done," Trump said from the White House.
His remarks come as the US prepares to impose reciprocal tariffs on nations with high levies on American goods.
The new tariff measures, set to take effect on 2 April, mark a significant shift in US trade policy, with Trump insisting that his administration will no longer tolerate what he described as unfair practices.
The Modi government has yet to respond to the allegations, but the issue is likely to be raised in Parliament when it reconvenes on 10 March.
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