Congress takes dig at PM Modi, Trump over India-US trade framework: ‘Dost dost na raha'

Opposition leaders, including Congress' Jairam Ramesh and Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Priyanka Chaturvedi, took a swipe at the government over the India-US deal framework. While Ramesh quipped "dost dost na raha", Chaturvedi said the Indian government "followed orders" from the US.

According to the joint statement released by New Delhi and Washington, India committed to "eliminate or reduce" tariffs on all US industrial goods and a wide range of American food and agricultural products.

These products include dried distillers' grains, red sorghum for animal feed, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, soybean oil, wine and spirits, and additional products.

The statement further informed that India intends to purchase $500 billion of US energy products, aircraft and aircraft parts, precious metals, technology products, and coking coal over the next 5 years

The two countries will "promptly" implement this framework and work towards finalising the interim agreement with a view to concluding a mutually beneficial Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), the statement read.

He quipped, "Dost dost na raha..." — the iconic line from the Mukesh song "Dost dost na raha" from the 1964 film "Sangam".

Ramesh said, "The United States-India Joint Statement just issued is silent on details." He released a 5-point statement claiming that "India will no longer import oil from Russia."

Ramesh also claimed that "India will slash import duties to help American farmers at the cost of Indian farmers." He added, "India’s annual imports from the USA will triple, wiping out our longstanding goods trade surplus."

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena UBT leader Priyanka Chaturvedi reiterated that the India-US deal framework "isn’t an outcome of talks but that of an order from the US that the Indian government has agreed to follow." She claimed the Centre "follow[ed] most of what US President had already said on Truth Social."

Congress leader Manish Tewari also said, "The Industrial Sector seems to have been thrown wide open and even the formulation is ‘including ‘ not limited too in the case of Agriculture."

He sought a discussion on the India-US deal in Parliament.

"This merits a full-fledged discussion in Parliament on what exactly has been agreed too by the Government of India for it has seemingly portentous implications given that huge unilateral concessions across multiple Tariff lines that already have been given by India in the Finance Bill of 2026." Tewari said.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Rajiv Rai said, "This is not just a compromise on our interests, but also a compromise on the country's dignity. The destruction of farmers has been written into it."

He claimed, “Until now, weak governments used to collect heavy taxes from the United States...and in return gave either no tax or negligible tax. But the 56-inch government has handed over everything to its 'my dear friend Trump'.”

Besides, PDP MLA Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi told ANI the government of India needs to ensure that India's interests are safeguarded. "It should not look like the deal is being done to make Donald Trump, some capitalist class happy...Our economic interests should not be surrendered," he said.