Manish Tewari questions govt on India-US trade deal, seeks clarity

Congress MP Manish Tewari questions the math behind the India-US trade deal, seeking clarity from the government on tariff cuts and Washington's $500-billion trade claims

Congress MP Manish Tewari on Wednesday questioned the claims surrounding the India-US trade deal announced by US President Donald Trump.

He says the figures cited by Washington do not add up, and seeking a clear explanation from the government on the scale and implications of the agreement.

The India-US trade deal reduces tariffs on Indian goods in the US to 18 per cent, while Washington has claimed the deal will help it export more agricultural products to New Delhi.

In a post on X, Tewari wrote, "The math in @POTUS @realDonaldTrump @WhiteHouse social Media post on the purported Indo-US Trade Deal simply just doesn't add up. If you look at the figures below, where can or does the $500 billion figure come from? India exports to US in 2024 was $79.44 billion and imports from US were $38.99 billion." 

Tewari raised questions over claims of a $500 billion figure, arguing that existing export-import data does not support such projections and demanding that the government clarify whether India has committed to sourcing a major share of its imports from the United States.

"From $39 billion approximately to go to $500 billion in imports will be quite a journey. India's total imports between April-December 2025 were $730.84 billion. Have we committed to sourcing 3/4 th of our imports from one single source- US? That seems to be the assertion of @realDonaldTrump? Government must answer!" the post read.

Meanwhile, a day earlier, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal described the agreement as a "future-defining deal" that will add immense value to India's growth prospects.

He said the trade deal, finalised late last night, will create significant opportunities for Indian businesses across sectors.

"This trade agreement is the best possible deal for India when compared to competing countries," he said.

"The sensitive factors of India's economy have been protected in this deal. We have seen reports from across the country; there is widespread enthusiasm. All those involved in India's exports, those connected to India's technology sector, those who want to bring modern technology to India or become part of global supply chains and global value chains, those who want to establish global capability centers, and those who want to invest in various sectors, especially labor-intensive ones that provide employment to millions of people, all are excited by this," Goyal added.