Upping the ante against the government over the India-US interim trade deal, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday posed a string of questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and alleged that "we are witnessing a betrayal" of Indian farmers. Gandhi, who has been attacking the government and accusing it of a sell-out through the deal, said this issue concerns the future and asked whether India is allowing another country to gain a long-term hold over India's agriculture industry. "In the name of a US trade deal, we are witnessing a betrayal of Indian farmers," the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said in his post in Hindi on X. Posing questions to the prime minister, Gandhi asked what it means to import Dried Distillers' Grains (DDG). "Does it mean that Indian cattle will be fed distillers' grains made from GM American corn? Won't this effectively make our milk products dependent on the US agricultural industry?" he questioned. Gandhi further inquired that if India allows the
Italian-American agriculture equipment firm CNH's India unit plans to resume full-scale tractor exports to the US and invest approximately Rs 1,800 crore over the next two to three years, capitalising on a recent India-US trade agreement that reduced tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from as high as 50 per cent. The New Delhi-based subsidiary, which operates brands like New Holland and Case IH, halted most US-bound shipments late last year after higher duties made them unprofitable. Production for the US market was paused in the final months of 2025, except for limited-compact tractor models used for testing and customer trials. In an interview with PTI at its Pune plant site, CNH India President and Managing Director Narinder Mittal said the company has now given the green light to restart production and supplies. "With the US tariff now reduced to 18 per cent, we have immediately resumed full-fledged tractor exports from India to the US," Mittal said. "Volumes will be higher
The India-US interim trade deal gives a good opportunity to explore exporting of tractors to America, according to a senior official of farm and construction equipment firm Escorts Kubota. The company's Japanese parent Kubota Corporation has stated that it plans to turn India into its growth engine under its mid-term business plan for 2030, identifying business and projects from the country as one of the key aspects of the strategy. "We are not exporting to the US right now. We think with this tariff thing coming in now, probably this will give us a good opportunity to look at opening up that market again," Escorts Kubota Ltd whole-time director and CFO Bharat Madan told PTI. He was responding to a query on the impact of the India-US interim trade deal. "Right now, our parent company (Kubota) is exporting from Japan, and (US tariff on) Japan is about 15 per cent. So, there is not really a significant gap there (with that of India at 18 per cent," he noted. "That gives us a good ..
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Saturday took a swipe at the government over the India-US interim trade deal, saying despite its claims to make the country "atmanirbhar" (self-reliant), it seems to have become "Trump pe nirbhar" (dependent on Trump). Sibal also accused the government of agreeing to align India's foreign and economic policy with America, saying and said that such a thing had not happened in India's history. The former Union minister also took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he inaugurated the new PMO, named Seva Teerth, and two buildings of the central secretariat - Kartavya Bhawan 1 and 2 -- asking whether he has fulfilled his "kartavya (duty)" towards the country. "I was very happy to read the papers today, the PM has inaugurated the Seva Teerth and Kartvaya Bhawan. Earlier there was the naming of Kartavya Path. But in the last 11 years, I want to ask the PM, what kind of kartavya he fulfilled," Sibal said at a press conference. "It is good to make ...
Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday said the interim trade agreement reached between the Centre and the US will include India's energy requirements and would help it secure crude oil at more competitive prices. Speaking to reporters here, the Commerce and Industry Minister said that India and the US have agreed to work towards increasing the annual trade between the two countries to USD 500 billion by 2030, and the government is working to achieve this target. He said the proposed USD 500 billion trade would include India's energy requirements, such as crude oil, LNG and LPG. "India is the fastest-growing large economy in the world, and its energy demand is rising by around 7 per cent annually. Increasing imports and having more suppliers would help India secure crude oil at more competitive prices," Goyal said. Last week, India and the US announced that they had reached a framework for an interim trade agreement under which both sides will reduce import duties on a number of .
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday asserted that in FTA and trade deals, the interests of farmers and fishermen have been fully secured and slammed top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for misleading them with 'lies'. Addressing a well-attended BJP rally here, Shah alleged that Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, "has started a new tradition of telling lies daily." "Its Rahul Gandhi's policy to lie, lie loudly, repeat it. But people have identified your lie manufacturing factory," he said. The provisions in FTA and the trade deal, apparently the Indo-US one, should be studied carefully and Prime Minister Narendra Modi "has ensured 100 per cent protection" for Indian farmers and fishermen, Shah said. He charged that farmers' interests were "sold off" during the UPA regime headed by the late Manmohan Singh. The BJP veteran also expressed confidence that in 2029, under PM Modi, BJP-led NDA will assume power again at the Centre.
The commerce department on Friday said the trade agreement reflects a calibrated and balanced approach that places farmers' interests at the forefront
Stormy phase sees Opposition protests over India-US trade deal and memoir row; eight MPs suspended, House to reconvene on March 9
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi met farm union leaders from across the country in the Parliament House complex on Friday and discussed with them the need for a countrywide movement to oppose the India-US interim trade deal as well as safeguarding the livelihoods of farmers and farm labourers. Posting a video of the meeting on X and taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gandhi said, "Narendra 'surrender' Modi has betrayed India's farmers -- and they understand this." "This is not just a trade agreement, but a direct attack on the livelihoods of our food providers. At a meeting with a delegation of farmers' unions in Parliament today, the concerns were evident. Farmers, already struggling with inflation, rising costs and uncertainty over MSPs, are now being pitted against foreign crops equipped with heavy subsidies and mechanical power, unprepared," he said in his post in Hindi. This is not a fight based on equal terms, but one-sided pressure, Gandhi ...
Commerce minister says India-US pact safeguards key crops and opens new markets for farm exports; accuses Rahul Gandhi of spreading misinformation
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has indicated India may secure zero-duty textile access to the US, matching a tax relief granted to Bangladesh that has put Indian exporters under pressure.
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Friday met leaders of farm unions from across the country in Parliament House complex during which the need for a nationwide movement to oppose the India-US interim trade deal as well as safeguarding the livelihoods of farmers and farm labourers was discussed. During the meeting, the farm union leaders expressed their opposition to the India-US trade deal, and conveyed their deep concern for the livelihoods of farmers of corn, soyabean, cotton, fruits and nuts, the Congress said. Gandhi said the trade deal has opened the door for agricultural imports and that many other crops would soon follow, according to the party. The farm leaders and Rahul Gandhi discussed the need for a large-scale national movement to oppose the deal, and safeguard the livelihoods of farmers and farm labourers, it said. The farm leaders who met Gandhi here included All India Kisan Congress chief Sukhpal S Khaira, Ashok Balhara of the Bharatiye Kisan Mazdor Union, Haryana,
Commerce minister Piyush Goyal accused Rahul Gandhi of spreading lies on the India-US interim trade deal, asserting that farmers' interests were fully safeguarded and exports would rise
Lok Sabha adjourned amid Opposition sloganeering over interim US trade pact and protests against BJP MP Nishikant Dubey's remarks on Rahul Gandhi
The deal shifts the US posture towards India from hostile to neutral, and that matters for growth
Foreign ministry says amendments to White House fact sheet align with February 7 joint statement, which remains the framework for interim trade pact
Trade unions and farmers have called a Bharat Bandh on February 12 to protest labour codes and the India-US trade deal; banking, transport and markets may see disruptions in several states
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal signals India may explore zero-duty US access similar to Bangladesh; industry says cotton exports and farmers unlikely to face adverse impact
Through an adjournment motion, Tewari sought an immediate government statement, alleging the India-US interim trade deal includes commitments on Russian oil purchases and farm concessions
US President Donald Trump has hailed the trade deal with India as "historic" and said America will increase its coal exports dramatically to the country and to others with which it has trade agreements. "And under our leadership, we're becoming a massive energy exporter. In just the past few months, we've made historic trade deals with Japan, Korea, India and others to increase our coal exports dramatically," Trump said Wednesday during an event titled 'Champion of Coal'. "We're now exporting coal all over the world, and the quality of our coal is supposed to be...the finest anywhere in the world," he said. Last week, the US and India announced they have reached a framework for an interim agreement on trade, under which New Delhi will eliminate or reduce tariffs on all American industrial goods, a wide range of food and agricultural products, as well as purchase USD 500 billion of US products over the next five years. A joint statement issued by the two countries on Friday said the