Indian and American officials are negotiating a proposed interim trade agreement.
- Rahul Gandhi claimed PM Modi will yield to Trump's July 9 tariff deadline
- US-India trade talks are in final stages before the 90-day tariff suspension ends
- Trump imposed a 26% tariff on Indian exports, temporarily lifted for talks
Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi today claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will "meekly bow" to a deadline set by US President Donald Trump regarding reciprocal tariffs. The Congress leader's dig at the PM comes amid ongoing talks over a trade deal with the US, as President Trump's July 9 deadline looms large.
The comments were made via a post on X (formerly Twitter), where Mr Gandhi shared an NDTV news report on Union Minister Piyush Goyal's statement that India was in no hurry to finalise any trade deal unless it was fair and in national interest.
"Piyush Goyal can beat his chest all he wants," Mr Gandhi wrote, "mark my words, Modi will meekly bow to the Trump tariff deadline."
The Tariff Deadline
Negotiations between Indian and American officials over a proposed interim trade agreement are in the final stages, with both sides having been working on it for months. The deadline in question is the expiration of a 90-day suspension on reciprocal tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. That suspension period is set to end on July 9.
If no deal is reached by then, the earlier US tariffs, imposed by President Trump in retaliation for Indian duties on American goods, could be reinstated. The Trump administration had introduced a 26 per cent tariff on a range of Indian exports. While it was temporarily lifted in order to enable fresh negotiations, that window is now rapidly closing.
India's Position
Speaking at an event in New Delhi yesterday, Mr Goyal reiterated that India will only sign a trade agreement that is mutually beneficial and protects national interests.
"It should be a win-win agreement, and only when India's interests are safeguarded - national interest will always be supreme - and keeping that in mind, if a good deal is formed, India is always ready to engage with developed countries," he said.
Mr Goyal stated that while discussions with the US were ongoing, similar talks were also in progress with other partners, including the European Union, New Zealand, Oman, Chile, and Peru. He said that a free-trade agreement is only possible when both sides benefit equally.
"A free-trade agreement is only possible when there is mutual benefit. India never enters into trade deals based on deadlines or time pressure. A deal is accepted only when it is fully matured, well-negotiated, and in the national interest," Mr Goyal added.
