Congress questions PM Modi on Trump's India cutting trade tariff claim: 'Interests of Indian farmers, manufacturers being compromised?'

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh

The Congress on Saturday demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi must take Parliament into confidence regarding US President Donald Trump’s claim that India will cut tariffs.

The party's general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh further questioned whether Indian farmers and manufacturers’ interests were at risk.

"Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is in Washington DC to talk trade with the Americans. Meanwhile, President Trump says this...," he said in a post on X, sharing a video of the US president speaking on trade tariffs.

US President Donald Trump said India has agreed to cut its tariffs "way down" as he reiterated his claim that the country charges America massive tariffs that make it difficult to sell products there.

"What has the Modi Government agreed to? Are the interests of Indian farmers and of Indian manufacturing being compromised? The PM must take Parliament into confidence when it resumes on March 10," Congress leader Jairam Ramesh stated.

Both houses of Parliament will convene on Monday as the budget session enters its second phase.

In the video shared by Ramesh on X, Trump is heard saying, "Our country, from an economic standpoint and a financial standpoint and a trade standpoint, has been absolutely ripped off by almost every country in the world -- Canada, Mexico, and then you just go right down the line."

"India charges us massive tariffs. You can't even sell anything in India... It is restrictive. We do very little business inside. They've agreed. By the way, they want to cut their tariffs way down now because somebody is finally exposing them for what they've done," Trump goes on to say.

Since taking office as US President, Trump has been threatening multiple countries with reciprocal trade tariffs.