New Delhi, February 21 Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge questioned the Modi government's haste in entering a "trap deal" with the United States, asking why the government did not wait for the US Supreme Court's judgment on tariffs.
"Is this a clueless foreign policy or a one-sided surrender? Why did the Modi Government rush into a TRAP DEAL, which extracted huge concessions from India, before waiting for the US Supreme Court's judgment on tariffs?" Kharge asked in a post on X.
Kharge further stated that the joint statement spoke of zero tariffs on several American exports to India, virtually opening up India's agriculture to American goods. He noted that the deal also included plans to import USD 500 billion worth of US goods, a commitment to stop purchasing Russian oil, which Kharge argued would harm India's energy security, and several tax exemptions related to digital trade.
"Modi ji must stand before the people and tell the truth. What or who pressured you to compromise India's national interest and strategic autonomy? Was it the Epstein Files?"
"Will the Government of India wake up from its deep slumber and deliver a fair trade deal that preserves the self-respect of 140 crore Indians and the interests of our farmers, workers, small businesses, and traders?" the Congress President asked.
In the wake of the US Supreme Court's decision on tariffs, President Donald Trump said there is no change in the trade deal with India and emphasised that "the India deal is on."
The US Supreme Court struck down Trump's far-reaching global tariffs on Friday, handing him a stinging loss on an issue crucial to his economic agenda.
The 6-3 decision centers on tariffs imposed under an emergency powers law, including the sweeping "reciprocal" tariffs he levied on nearly every other country. The high court ruled his use of an emergency powers law to set import duties without Congress was illegal.
In a press conference, Trump said that he's “absolutely ashamed” of the justices who voted to strike down his tariffs, calling the decision “deeply disappointing.”