PM Modi’s first reaction to India-US trade deal: ‘World more confident of our stability’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Rajya Sabha

In his first remarks amid Opposition criticism over trade deal with the United States, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said young people across the country stand to gain the most.

Replying to a discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address, the Prime Minister said the world is feeling more confident of stability after India's trade deals with the European Union and the US.

"India is signing future-ready trade deals with several nations. In the last few days, we have signed trade deals with nine big nations, including the 'mother of all deals' with the 27-nation bloc of the European Union," he said.

"When the trade deal with the European Union took place, the world became more confident of stability. After the trade deal with the United States, the world’s confidence grew further. What was earlier a sense of stability has now been accompanied by a sense of momentum... It is a good sign for the world," the Prime Minister added, highlighting that these agreements are openly being welcomed by the entire world.

The Prime Minister also stated that major nations across the world are eager to build trade partnerships with India. He said the biggest beneficiaries out of the trade deals would be the youth of the country, with a vast opportunity available to them.

“The greatest beneficiaries of this (trade deals) will be the youth of our country. And when I speak of youth, I mean young people from the middle class, from cities, and from villages, sons as well as daughters. We should take pride in the immense capability of our nation’s youth. Today, the global market has opened up for them. There are opportunities everywhere,” he said.

The Prime Minister also targeted the Opposition, which staged walkout, saying they would one day have to reply to what they did to the nation in the past.

“Those who are tired and disappointed today will, sooner or later, have to answer how they allowed the country to reach a stage where no nation in the world was willing to enter into a trade deal with India. You may have tried, you may have made repeated efforts, but no one even looked in your direction. Countries simply were not willing to strike deals with India at that time,” he said.

Opposition parties have mounted a sharp attack on the Narendra Modi government following the India–US trade deal announced by US President Donald Trump on Monday night, alleging capitulation to US demands on tariffs, energy purchases and agricultural market access.

On Monday, US President Donald Trump, in a social media post, announced that India and the US agreed to a trade deal under which Washington would bring down the reciprocal tariff on Indian goods to 18 per cent from the current 50 per cent, after a telephonic conversation with PM Modi.

According to US President Trump, the deal will significantly expand American exports to India, particularly in agriculture, energy and technology, while ensuring preferential market access for US products. US agriculture secretary Brooke Rollins has publicly claimed that India has agreed to liberalise agricultural imports, allowing more American farm and dairy products into the Indian market.