"When did India outsource its trade announcements?": Congress questions govt over Trump announcing India-US deal

Congress Rajya Sabha MP and advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Tuesday questioned the Centre over US President Donald Trump announcing a trade deal that would reduce tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent.

In an X post, Singhvi asked, "When did India outsource its trade announcements?"

"Trade deal announced...by Washington! Tariffs down from 25 per cent to 18 per cent. India to buy US energy, tech, agri & coal. One small constitutional question remains: When did India outsource its trade announcements? Official word from Saheb still awaited," the Congress MP wrote.


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This comes after Trump said on Monday that the US and India "have agreed to a trade deal," with Washington reducing the reciprocal tariff from 25 per cent to 18 per cent "out of friendship and respect" for PM Modi. The US President also claimed that PM Modi had agreed to "stop buying Russian oil" and to buy much more from the US.

Earlier, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Centre, claiming that India now gets to know about key national decisions from US President Donald Trump and his appointees. He termed this "Trump-nirbharta," while citing last year's Operation Sindoor and the announcement of the India-US trade deal earlier in the day as examples.

The Congress leader claimed that details of Prime Minister Modi's conversation with Trump were first disclosed not by the Indian government but by US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor.

"It seems that Prime Minister Modi and President Trump spoke to each other today. This information has been provided not by the Indian side but by the US Ambassador to India. This now seems to be the routine - India gets to know of its Govt's actions only from President Trump or his appointees. Trump-nirbharta," Ramesh wrote in a post on X.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday welcomed the announcement of the India-United States trade deal uShe said the move would benefit Made in India products and people of both democracies.

In a post on X, Sitharaman wrote, "Good news for Made in India products. They will now face a reduced tariff of 18 per cent. Thanking the leadership of PM @narendramodi and @POTUS for this development. People of our two large democracies stand to benefit."