India-US deal sparks massive political storm, Gandhi hits out at PM Modi

Even as government sources asserted “zero compromise” on farmers’ interests in the India-US trade deal, claiming that “India’s agriculture and dairy sector will be protected,” opposition leaders mounted a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of “selling the country under US’ pressure” and “backstabbing farmers by potentially opening markets to subsidised US agricultural imports.”

Government sources said, “The India-US trade deal agreed upon between US President Donald Trump and PM Modi does not compromise the interests of Indian farmers,” also clarifying that India would continue to buy crude oil from countries that are “not under sanctions.”

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India is currently the second-largest buyer of Russian oil, which is under US sanctions.

Union Minister J P Nadda announced in the Rajya Sabha that the government would issue a suo motu statement on the trade deal and hold a discussion in Parliament after several opposition MPs staged a walkout, demanding a discussion on the deal.

The Lok Sabha also saw repeated disruptions over Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s insistence on referring to an unpublished memoir of former Army chief General M M Naravane during the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address for the second day in a row. Eight Congress MPs were suspended in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday by the Chair for “unruly” behaviour.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju had moved a resolution in the Lok Sabha to suspend Hibi Eden, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Manickam Tagore, Gurjeet Singh Aujla, C Kiran Kumar Reddy, Prashant Padole, S Venkatesan and Dean Kuriakose for the remainder of the session. They were reportedly seen tearing up papers and throwing them towards the Chair.

Speaking to the media after chaotic scenes for the second consecutive day, Gandhi accused the Prime Minister of being “compromised” and “selling” India. “Modi ji is rattled. The (US-India) trade deal, which was stalled for the past few months, was signed by Narendra Modi last night. There is extreme pressure on him. Narendra Modi ji’s image can get damaged. The main thing is that our PM is compromised,” Gandhi said. He added, “For the first time, the Leader of the Opposition was not allowed to speak on the President’s speech.”

“Narendra Modi ji has sold your hard work in this trade deal because he is compromised. He has sold the country. Narendra Modi ji is scared because those who shaped his image are now breaking this image,” Gandhi alleged. He further claimed, “There is a case on Adani ji in the US; it is actually a case on Modi ji. The Epstein Files contain even more that the US has not yet released. There is pressure due to that as well. These are the two pressure points; the country should understand this.”

Earlier in the House, Gandhi argued that an article he cited was relevant to national security and India’s foreign policy, particularly relations with China and Pakistan. “There is a very important point in this article that I have authenticated. It speaks about the PM’s reaction… On the world stage, the main issue in international affairs is the conflict between China and the US. This is central to our President’s address,” he said, questioning why he was being stopped from making his point.

Opposition parties across the spectrum slammed the Modi government, claiming it had compromised economic policy and foreign relations by agreeing to reduced tariffs without adequate safeguards against cheaper US imports. They warned that subsidised American agricultural products could flood Indian markets, undercut local prices, and hurt small farmers unable to compete with US agribusiness.

Former Foreign Secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Harsh Vardhan Shringla defended the agreement, saying the deal “not only gives us a competitive market advantage in the US” but also “uplifts India’s stature on the global stage,” calling it a matter of pride. AAP MP Sanjay Singh, however, said, “By opening us to the US market in the agriculture sector, Narendra Modi has backstabbed the farmers of India. This Agreement is a betrayal to the crores of farmers in India.” He added that if India stops buying Russian oil, “people of India will have to purchase expensive oil from the US… a double blow to the people of India.”

Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav said the announcement by President Trump showed that India’s Ministry of External Affairs was “not able to negotiate in the manner that a deal should be done.” Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut alleged that “national interest and interest of farmers were compromised” and claimed the deal was signed to safeguard Gautam Adani. SP MP Ram Gopal Yadav added that “there must certainly be some hidden agenda,” noting that “everything is secret, nothing is open.”