‘Abki baar Trump se haar’: Congress takes a swipe at govt over US trade pact

The Congress on Sunday stepped up its attack on the Centre over the interim trade framework with the United States, urging the government to put the agreement in “cold storage” and renegotiate its terms in light of the recent verdict by the US Supreme Court striking down President Donald Trump’s global tariffs.

Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh alleged that the framework reflected a one-sided arrangement and dubbed it “Abki baar Trump se haar”, a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2019 “Abki baar Trump Sarkaar” slogan in Houston.

Ramesh argued that since the US court has ruled that Trump exceeded his authority in imposing sweeping tariffs, India has every right under the framework’s modification clause to revisit and alter its commitments. “An agreement is about give and take. Here, India has only given,” he said.

According to the joint statement issued earlier this month, India committed to eliminate or significantly reduce import duties on all US industrial goods and a wide range of American food and agricultural products. Ramesh demanded that the clause on import liberalisation — especially for agricultural products — be scrapped, warning of adverse consequences for soyabean, maize, cotton, fruits and nuts cultivators across states including Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh.

He questioned the timing of the deal, asking why the government hurried to finalise it when it had known since December that a Supreme Court verdict on Trump’s tariffs could come at any time. Ramesh alleged the announcement was aimed at “managing headlines” following criticism by Rahul Gandhi in Parliament over external security issues.

Under the interim arrangement, Washington reduced its reciprocal tariff on Indian goods from 25 per cent to 18 per cent, while Trump issued an executive order lifting the 25 per cent punitive tariffs earlier imposed on India over its purchases of Russian oil. The US president also said New Delhi had committed to pulling back from directly or indirectly importing energy from Moscow and would increase purchases of American energy products.

However, shortly after the court’s 6-3 ruling, Trump asserted there would be “no change” in the trade deal with India. Speaking at a White House news conference, he described his relationship with Modi as “fantastic” and the agreement as “fair”, claiming that India would now be paying tariffs while the US would not. He also repeated his claim that India had reduced Russian oil imports at his request.

Ramesh said the situation had created “massive confusion and uncertainty”, particularly as US officials claimed India had stopped buying Russian oil, while the government maintained it would uphold strategic autonomy.

Calling the pact detrimental to farmers’ interests, the Congress leader announced that the party would launch a series of Kisan Maha Chaupals — beginning in Bhopal on 24 February, followed by Maharashtra on 7 March and Sri Ganganagar — to mobilise opinion. He recalled that the government had been forced to withdraw the three farm laws in 2021 and said the party would ensure farmers’ interests were fully protected in any future trade agreement.

With PTI inputs