Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Saturday targeted PM Narendra Modi over the proposed trade deal with the US and claimed that the PM will “meekly bow” before the tariff deadline set by the Trump administration as Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal asserted that India negotiates from a position of strength and not under deadlines.
Goyal also accused the Congress of “negotiating and signing agreements that were not in the national interest” during that party-led UPA government’s tenure. On Saturday, Goyal said, “India does not negotiate under deadlines. We negotiate keeping national interest in mind, and national interest is paramount in all our engagements across the world.” He added that India negotiates from a position of strength. “We are self-confident and can compete with anybody in the world,” he said.
In a post on X on Saturday, Gandhi said, “Piyush Goyal can beat his chest all he wants, mark my words, Modi will meekly bow to the Trump tariff deadline.” Trump has set a deadline of July 9 to finalise the trade agreement with India.
The Congress had earlier hit out at the PM over his “silence“ on US President Donald Trump’s repeated claims that he negotiated a ceasefire understanding between India and Pakistan following the military hostilities.
India had launched Operation Sindoor in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 people dead.
However, during the recent G7 Summit in Canada’s Kananaskis, PM Modi set the record straight and told US President Donald Trump during a 35-minute phone call that at no point was there any discussion, at any level, on an India-US trade deal, or any proposal for mediation by the US between India and Pakistan. Modi had said that “India does not and will never accept mediation”.
With the deadline only days away, Goyal had said that India would accept the proposed trade deal with the US only when it is fully finalised and in national interest.
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“Negotiations are underway, FTA (free trade agreement) is possible only if it’s beneficial for both sides… it should be a win-win agreement,” Goyal said.
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