‘Atmanirbhar or America-nirbhar Bharat?’: Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala slams India-US trade framework
Questioning the slogan of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, Surjewala asks whether India is turning to ‘America-nirbhar’ amid US deal concerns.
“In the US-India trade deal, Prime Minister Modi’s government sacrificed the interests of farmers and agricultural landowners. India’s energy played a vital role in security. India’s digital independence and data privacy raised serious questions. Instead of standing strong to defend India’s interests, a strong government compromised India’s independence and data privacy. People are asking, a strong government or a weak government? People were asking the question: Aatmanirbhar Bharat (Self-reliant India) or America-nirbhar Bharat (US-dependent) India)?” asked Surjewala while speaking at a conference.
He also criticized the State Department’s response to the trade deal. “I was disappointed to see our External Affairs Minister, when asked about the India-US trade agreement, reply that it ‘belongs to another department’. How can I be expected to be satisfied with such an answer when our External Affairs Minister lacks insight, understanding and in-depth knowledge of the India-US interim trade agreement? It is not enough to refer the issue to another department,” he said.
Earlier, Surjewala had said the deal would devastate India’s livelihoods by opening domestic markets to US-processed fruits and “additional products”.
Stating that the current $334 million cotton imports have led to a decline in domestic prices, he requested clarity on whether basic food items such as milk, wheat and dairy products are included in the new zero tariff concessions.
Surjewala’s reactions came after the US and India announced an Interim Agreement framework on mutual, mutually beneficial trade that reaffirmed their commitment to a broader Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) launched by President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 13, 2026.
As part of the framework, India agreed to eliminate or reduce tariffs on all US industrial products and a wide range of US agricultural and food products, including dried distillers grains (DDGs), red sorghum for animal feed, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruits, soybean oil, wine and spirits, and additional products.
