Page 6 - India Us Trade Deal

Answer to 'abject surrender' lies in 'grips', 'chokes' placed on PM: Rahul

Stepping up his attack on the government over the interim US trade deal, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said the answer to why Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to a deal, where India gives so much and appears to get so little, and make an "abject surrender" lies in the "grips" and "chokes" placed on him. The leader of opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha also claimed that with this deal, India is going to become a "data colony". Gandhi, who has been attacking the BJP-led government and accusing it of a sell-out through the deal, posted a video on X in which he invoked his recent speech in Parliament in which he had drawn a Jiu-Jitsu analogy. In his post on X, Gandhi said, "Why did I use a Jiu-Jitsu analogy in my Parliament speech on the trade deal? Why were our farmers sacrificed to please the Americans? Why was India's energy security compromised by allowing the US to dictate our oil supplies?" "Why agree to increase US imports by $100 billion a year without a reciprocal .

Marco Rubio to visit India in few months; trade deal soon: US ambassador

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit India in the next few months, US Ambassador Sergio Gor said on Friday. The envoy also said that the India-US trade deal is set to be inked soon. Gor also described the Quad coalition as an important grouping for cooperation among its member states. The envoy said India and the US are taking their bilateral ties to the next level. Gor made the remarks on the sidelines of an event at the AI Impact Summit here.

India, US to hold 3-day talks from Feb 23 to finalise leagl text for ITA

A three-day meeting between Indian and American officials to finalise the legal text for an interim trade agreement will begin in the US on February 23, an official said on Friday. Earlier this month, India and the US released a joint statement to announce that a framework for an interim trade agreement has been finalised. The joint statement lays down the contours of the deal. Now, the contours of the deal have to be translated into a legal agreement, which will be signed between the two sides. It is expected to be signed in March. The Indian and the US team will start their three-day meeting from Monday, the official said. Indian team will be headed by chief negotiator Darpan Jain, who is a joint secretary in the Commerce Ministry. Under the interim trade pact, both sides would extend duty concessions to each other on a number of goods traded between them. The US has announced that it will reduce the reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods from 25 per cent to 18 per cent. It has alr

What is Pax Silica, the US-led AI supply chain bloc India joined today?

India joined Pax Silica at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, becoming part of a US-led push to build reliable supply chains for AI and key minerals needed for future industries

Rising imports from US narrow trade surplus: Commerce department data

India ramps up imports from the US, pushing January shipments up 24% and steadily narrowing its trade surplus with Washington amid tariff pressures

Farm interests safeguarded in India-US trade deal: Agri Min Shivraj Chouhan

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday said the India-US interim trade deal was finalised after careful consideration, with the government ensuring that no decision harms the farming community. Speaking at a programme here, the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister said, "I am speaking with full responsibility as the agriculture minister of India. In the trade agreement, we have taken complete care of the interests of Indian farmers. There will be no losses for India's farming community," he said. On imports, Chouhan said the country has to bring in the things it needs. "We are not self-sufficient when it comes to pulses even today. If something that we need comes from another country, what is the objection?" he asked. Similarly, he said, India imports around 5.5 lakh metric tonnes of apples. "They come from countries like Turkey and Iran. If one lakh metric tonnes (of apple) come from the United States, after ensuring that it does not affect our farmers, what

Farmers' interests safeguarded in India-US trade deal, reiterates Chouhan

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday said the recent India-US trade deal was finalised after careful consideration and the government has ensured that no decision would harm the farming community. Speaking at a programme in Jaipur, he said, "I am speaking with full responsibility as the Agriculture Minister of India. In the trade agreement, we have taken complete care of the interests of Indian farmers. It has been ensured that there will be no loss for India's farming community," he said. On imports, Chouhan said the country has to bring in the things it need. "Even today, we are not self-sufficient when it comes to pulses. If something that we need comes from another country, what is the objection?" he asked. Similarly, he said, India imports around 5.5 lakh metric tonnes of apples. "They come from countries like Turkey and Iran. If one lakh metric tonnes come from the United States, after ensuring that it does not affect our farmers, what is the problem?"

Rahul Gandhi to lead Congress rally against India-US trade deal in Punjab

The Congress will hold a rally over the issue of India-US trade deal in Punjab and it will be attended by Rahul Gandhi, said senior party leader Bhupesh Baghel here on Monday evening. Baghel said the rally is expected to be held either on February 28 or March 1. He said Rahul has been opposing the India-US trade deal in Lok Sabha and outside Lok Sabha and adding that he has already been raising farmers' related issues. "The fight over this issue (India-US trade deal) will begin from Punjab. A big rally will be held in which Rahul ji and other party leaders will be present," said Baghel. To a question on Union Home Minister Amit Shah asking Gandhi to debate this issue, Baghel said, "Amit Shah wants to hold a debate. We will come there. Farmers will come. You decide the time and place." Rahul has been attacking the BJP-led government and accusing it of a sell-out through the India-US trade deal and on Sunday he posed a string of questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and alleged

18% US levy may kick in this week: Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal

Talks in Washington next week on interim deal's legal framework

India to send team to US next week for interim trade pact text: Comm Secy

A team of Indian officials will visit the US next week to finalise the legal text for an interim trade agreement, which is likely to be signed in March, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said on Monday. The visit is likely to start on February 23. Earlier this month, India and the US released a joint statement to announce that a framework for an interim trade agreement has been finalised. "The joint statement lays down the contours of the deal. Now, the contours of the deal have to be translated into a legal agreement, which will be signed between the two sides," he told reporters here. Both sides are engaged in finalising that legal agreement, and virtual talks are going on for that. "Next week, (India's) chief negotiator Darpan Jain will be leading a delegation to the US to finalise the legal (pact) to work towards the legal agreement. That work will carry on next week in Washington and, if need be, thereafter in July and March," Agrawal said. Jain is the joint secretary in the

Indian team to visit US next week to finalise legal text for trade pact

The visit is likely to start from February 23

Interpreting US trade deal: Focus on the gains from import liberalisation

Amid political criticism, the India-US trade pact highlights how lower tariffs and deeper reforms could lift productivity and growth, if intent turns into binding change

India-US trade deal: Transparency on constraints and commitments needed

As questions linger over Russian oil, tariffs and market access, clarity on India's constraints and commitments is key to managing perceptions of the US trade deal

Witnessing betrayal of farmers in name of US trade deal: Rahul Gandhi

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

CNH India to resume US tractor exports; invest ₹1,800 cr after tariff cut

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

US interim trade deal opens door for tractor exports: Escorts Kubota CFO

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 ..

'Atmanirbhar now looks like Trump pe nirbhar': Cong's Kapil Sibal

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 ...

India-US ITA to cover energy needs, ensure competitive crude prices: Goyal

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 .

Amit Shah slams Rahul Gandhi over 'lies', says trade deals protect farmers

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.

India creates 44 tariff lines in Budget 2026 to map US market access

The commerce department on Friday said the trade agreement reflects a calibrated and balanced approach that places farmers' interests at the forefront