“Deal Favours US farmers” Opposition Attacks India-US Trade Framework

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh criticised the US-India Interim Trade Agreement, alleging it compromises India’s economic interests. He said preliminary information suggests India could face a 25 per cent tariff penalty if it continues purchasing Russian oil. Ramesh also warned that lowering import duties on US agricultural products may adversely impact domestic farmers. Raising concerns over a sharp rise in imports from the US, he argued that India’s current trade surplus could turn into a deficit. The Congress leader further pointed to the absence of any clear provisions for the IT and services sectors and cautioned that higher export duties on Indian goods would hurt exporters. Ramesh said the full implications would be clear once detailed terms are made public.