India-US Trade Deal: A Diplomatic Setback?

The Congress party has launched a scathing critique of the India-US interim trade agreement, targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's diplomatic approach. Calling the agreement a ''steal'' orchestrated by Modi's Washington ally, the party criticized it as an ''abject failure'' of both political and economic diplomacy.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh remarked that independent analysts and commentators have deemed the trade deal a capitulation. He pointed out that despite Modi's aggressive wooing of President Trump, including campaign stints in 2019, the outcome seems unfavorable for India.

The party's assessment paints the deal as a coerced opening rather than a calibrated one, claiming the US benefited more than India. Allegations include a betrayal of India's self-esteem in the wake of a more advantageous US-Bangladesh trade deal.