Indo-US trade deal one-sided, should be put on hold: Congress

New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday said the Indo-US interim trade deal is distinctly one-sided and the only way forward is for India to be bold in putting it on hold, as it will be disastrous for lakhs of farmers across the country.

In a post on X, Congress general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh said it is quite extraordinary that the US has just imposed a 125.87 per cent duty on imports of solar modules from India.

“What does this say of President Trump’s commitment in letter and spirit to the India-US trade deal, so much praised and applauded by his good friend in New Delhi as opening doors for India’s exports to the US?,” he asked.

“Actually, the deal is distinctly one-sided. India’s imports from the US will be freed up but exports to the US will be subject to the whims and fancies of the US president.

“There is only way forward. India must be bold and put the deal on hold. The deal as it stands will be singularly disastrous for lakhs and lakhs of farmers across the country,” Ramesh said in his post.

The remarks came a day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the Indo-US interim trade deal was sealed “under pressure” and dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to scrap the agreement for being “anti-farmer”, following a US Supreme Court ruling that President’s Trump’s tariffs were illegal.

Addressing the ‘Kisan Mahachaupal’ rally in Bhopal on Tuesday, Gandhi, the leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha described the agreement as “an arrow in the heart of farmers”.

“After the US Supreme Court ruling on the trade deal (global tariffs), I challenge PM Modi to scrap it if he has courage...but he won’t be able to do so,” said the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

Earlier this month, the US Supreme Court ruled that the tariffs imposed by the president on nations around the world were illegal and that he had exceeded his authority when he imposed the sweeping levies.