The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has strongly criticised the emerging Indo-US trade agreement, accusing the BJP-led central government of making extensive concessions that threaten India’s economy, agriculture, and national sovereignty.
In a statement from its Politbureau, the CPI(M) on Sunday highlighted that the interim trade deal includes commitments by India to impose zero tariffs on a wide range of US agricultural imports, such as fruits, cotton, tree nuts, and soybean oil. The party cautioned that these measures would severely jeopardise the livelihoods of farmers across multiple states.
According to the statement, even limited public information indicates the government’s agreement to eliminate tariffs on US agricultural products, which could devastate apple growers in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, as well as cotton and soybean farmers nationwide. The CPI(M) emphasised that these farmers are already under strain from previous trade agreements and rising input costs.
The party also raised concerns about India reportedly agreeing to remove non-tariff barriers on agricultural imports, which would undermine domestic support and subsidies for farmers. This, they argue, would expose Indian agriculture to unfair competition from heavily subsidised US farm goods, threatening the viability of farming.
Labeling the agreement a blow to India’s sovereignty, the CPI(M) accused the US of attempting to dictate India’s policy decisions, including oil imports from Russia, referencing a US executive order that monitors compliance and threatens retaliatory tariffs. The party condemned this as a humiliating capitulation by the government.
Additionally, the CPI(M) criticised the government’s commitment to increasing dependence on US defence supplies, warning it could harm India’s strategic interests in the long term.
The party called for full disclosure of the trade deal’s details to Parliament and the public, urging the government to refrain from signing any agreement detrimental to Indian workers, farmers, and citizens.