Congress reacts to India US Trade Deal controversy
The Congress on Friday stepped up its attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the stalled India US Trade Deal. However, the party also criticised the United States for what it called a flawed diplomatic approach. The reaction followed comments by US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who claimed that the India US Trade Deal failed because Modi did not personally call former US President Donald Trump.
Soon after, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh shared a video on social media and mocked Modi’s public diplomacy. “Hug hug na raha, post post na raha,” he said. According to the Congress, the optics surrounding India-US ties did not help secure the India US Trade Deal, raising questions about the government’s foreign policy strategy.
‘Bewafa dosti’ remark intensifies India US Trade Deal row
Moreover, Jairam Ramesh escalated his criticism with another Bollywood-style line. “Kya se kya ho gaya, bewafa teri dosti mein,” he said. In his view, India gained little from its close engagement with US leadership. Therefore, the Congress argued that symbolism failed to deliver results in the India US Trade Deal negotiations.
Earlier, Lutnick made the controversial remark during a popular business podcast. He said India missed its chance in the India US Trade Deal talks due to hesitation at the leadership level. According to him, the agreement stood ready but stalled because New Delhi avoided direct engagement. Consequently, his statement triggered sharp political reactions.
Manish Tewari slams US stand on India US Trade Deal
Meanwhile, Congress MP Manish Tewari offered a policy-focused response to the India US Trade Deal controversy. He rejected the US reasoning and called it “very imbecile.” In contrast, Tewari said major trade agreements cannot depend on personal phone calls between leaders.
Additionally, he stressed that India-US relations rest on long-term strategic interests. He added that the partnership extends beyond individual administrations. Despite this, he argued, the US appeared to overlook India’s strategic role while framing the India US Trade Deal in transactional terms.
Why the India US Trade Deal remains unresolved
Earlier this year, Lutnick explained Trump’s trade strategy as a “staircase” model. Under this approach, early movers received better terms. Meanwhile, late participants faced higher tariffs. Talks on the India US Trade Deal began in February 2025 and continued through several rounds.
Subsequently, a US delegation led by Deputy Trade Representative Rick Switzer visited India in December. Nevertheless, both sides failed to close the India US Trade Deal. As a result, the Trump administration continues to impose a 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods, including penalties linked to India’s purchase of Russian energy.
