Jairam Ramesh and Congress Demand Answers on Tariff Reduction, Call for All-Party Meeting
New Delhi, March 8: The Congress party has launched a scathing attack on the Narendra Modi-led government, raising concerns over U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that India has agreed to reduce tariffs under pressure from Washington. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh questioned whether the Indian government is compromising the interests of Indian farmers and manufacturers in trade negotiations with the United States.
Ramesh’s comments come amid Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s visit to Washington, where key trade discussions with the U.S. are underway.
“PM Must Take Parliament Into Confidence” – Jairam Ramesh
Expressing concerns over the alleged tariff reduction deal, Ramesh called for transparency, urging Prime Minister Modi to clarify India’s stance when Parliament resumes on March 10.
“The Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is in Washington DC to talk trade with the Americans. Meanwhile, President Trump says this. What has the Modi Government agreed to? Are the interests of Indian farmers and of Indian manufacturing being compromised? The PM must take Parliament into confidence when it resumes,” Ramesh wrote on social media platform X.
Congress Calls Trump’s Remarks an “Insult” to India
The Congress party also criticized Trump’s remarks, particularly his claim that India reduced tariffs out of fear. In a sharp response, Congress termed it an “insult” to India’s sovereignty and demanded an explanation from the Modi government.
“The U.S. President says that he is exposing India. This is an insult to India. Trump also said that Narendra Modi reduced the tariffs because of fear of him. Narendra Modi should tell what compromises were made to please Trump? Why was the nation’s honour mortgaged?” Congress posted on X.
Congress Demands All-Party Meeting on Tariff Issue
Congress further demanded an all-party meeting to discuss India’s trade policies and ensure that “national interest remains paramount.”
“This is a very serious matter. The Modi government should give an answer to the country on this. Along with this, an all-party meeting should be called to discuss all the issues related to this so that it can be ensured that national interest is paramount,” Congress stated.
Trump’s Accusations and U.S. Tariff Policy Shift
In a nationally televised address, Trump criticized India’s high tariffs, calling it “impossible” to sell goods to India.
“India charges us massive tariffs. Massive. You can’t even sell anything in India…They have agreed, by the way, to cut their tariffs way down now because somebody is finally exposing them for what they have done,” Trump stated.
This statement comes ahead of April 2, when the U.S. is set to introduce reciprocal tariffs on countries with high levies on American goods. The move signals a major shift in U.S. trade policy, with Trump vowing to end trade imbalances and “unfair” tariff regimes imposed by countries like India, China, Canada, and the European Union.
The Road Ahead
With no official confirmation from the Indian government regarding Trump’s claims, Congress is expected to mount pressure in Parliament over the issue. As India and the U.S. navigate trade negotiations, the political battle over tariffs is set to intensify.
Tags: India-US relations, trade war, tariffs, Jairam Ramesh, Congress vs BJP, Narendra Modi, Donald Trump, economic policy, global trade, reciprocal tariffs
