New Delhi: President of Congress Malikajun Hager Raising questions on the way the India-US trade deal was announced on Wednesday, it said the government failed to gain the confidence of Parliament and the public even as the House of Representatives was in session.In a post on X, Haq said India and the United States have enjoyed a strong global strategic partnership over the years, rooted in shared democratic values.
Piyush Goyal defends India-US trade deal in Lok Sabha, says farmers, dairy interests are completely safe
He pointed to the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal signed during the tenure of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh as an example of transparent and responsible decision-making. Haq said the Congress-led UPA government has kept Parliament informed at every stage while finalizing the landmark deal.He contrasted this with the current situation, saying the country had “no clue” about the trade deal announced by US President Donald Trump. Haag noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public response focused solely on thanking Trump for cutting tariffs on Indian goods to 18%, without providing any details on the deal itself.“Parliament is in session but the Modi government has chosen an external platform to discuss the deal without revealing any details,” Haq said in the post.
The Congress president pointed out three major questions which, according to him, remain unanswered. He asked whether India had made any compromises under US pressure and whether New Delhi had agreed to zero tariffs on US imports as claimed by President Trump. Haq also sought clarification on the impact of the deal on Indian farmers, questioning whether the agriculture sector has been fully or partially opened up to U.S. agricultural products.In addition, he also expressed concerns about energy relations with Moscow, asking whether India would stop buying oil from Russia and what message, if any, was conveyed to the Russian side. The Kremlin said on Tuesday it had not received any official information from New Delhi about suspending crude oil trade.“Parliament and the 1.4 billion people of India have the right to know,” Haq said.The questions come amid an intensifying political debate over the India-US trade framework, with Washington agreeing to reduce tariffs on Indian exports to 18% from much higher levels. The agreement has been announced at the framework level, but many details have yet to be announced.Federal Commerce and Industry Minister defends deal in Lok Sabha Piyush Goyal It said that after nearly a year of negotiations, India has successfully protected its sensitive industries, especially agriculture and dairy. He said that relevant discussions have been ongoing since Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the United States in February 2025, and the final result is balanced and mutually beneficial. Goyal also stressed that energy security remains the government’s top priority.earlier, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Stepping up its attack on the Prime Minister, it claimed that Prime Minister Modi was “under pressure” and “compromised” in finalizing the deal. Congress has demanded that full details of the trade deal be brought before Parliament, especially details on agriculture, tariffs and India’s oil purchase from Russia.