India’s main opposition party has criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government for reportedly making excessive concessions in a recently announced trade deal with the United States, revealed by President Donald Trump after a call with Modi.
On Tuesday, the Indian National Congress urged the government to inform Parliament and the public about the full terms of the agreement, warning that lowering trade barriers could negatively affect domestic industries, small traders, and farmers. “The Modi government must take the Parliament and the entire country into confidence and share all the details,” the party said.
Meanwhile, US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins stated that the deal would increase American farm exports to India’s large market, fueling further concerns among opposition leaders about its potential impact on Indian farmers.
Responding to the post by US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, Chairperson of Social Media and Digital Platforms in India and member of the Indian National Congress, Supriya Shrinate, said, “This reaction from US Agriculture Secretary is deeply worrying…Modi had promised he won’t compromise the interests of Indian farmers… how can India allow this?”
Trump said Washington would cut tariffs on Indian goods to 18% from 50%. At the same time, India would reduce barriers and move away from buying Russian oil, with Trump suggesting India could instead buy oil from the United States and potentially Venezuela.
Congress questioned whether New Delhi had agreed to stop purchasing Russian crude and whether safeguards were in place if the deal opens parts of India’s agriculture market to American products.
Congress Kerala’s official X account also said the move risked turning India into an “American colony”.
The government has not publicly released a detailed text, timelines, or an enforcement mechanism. Reuters reported that while Trump framed the deal as ending Russian oil purchases, refiners and industry sources expected any shift to require a wind-down period to honour existing contracts.
The official Congress Kerala X account said, “This is the lowest moment for the country,” saying that Modi was surrendering India’s sovereignty to the US “to keep…himself out of jail.”
In an X post, India’s external affairs minister, S. Jaishankar, welcomed the announcement, saying that deeper economic ties would support jobs, growth and innovation, and strengthen “Make in India” efforts.
Source: Express Tribune
