NewsGate Press Network

Knives are out between the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress over the India-US trade deal.

The Congress attack is led by its fiery spokesperson Pawan Khera while the Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has held to his stand that it is by far the best commerce deal that India had agreed upon with America.

On Saturday the 7th of February 2026 when the deal was announced, Congress leader Pawan Khera described it as deal that India was forced to sign under pressure, like at gunpoint and through blackmail.

Congress said the government has compromised the interests of farmers, middle classes and small and medium enterprises.

Khera said that the Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal was hiding more than he was revealing about the deal and alleged that the proposed Indo-US trade arrangement amounts to a “surrender” of national economic interests, claiming key decisions are being taken to suit Washington rather than India.

He warned of serious consequences for farmers, the middle class and small businesses.

The Congress spokesperson said the government was functioning “in the American time zone”, asserting that recent announcements reflected pressure rather than negotiation. “Deals are negotiated across the table, not at gunpoint and through blackmail,” he said, alleging coercion and lack of transparency.

Khera said that under the reported terms, India will massively increase imports from the US – from roughly $ 40-42 billion a year to a staggering $ 500 billion over the next five years. He questioned what goods India would import at such scale, flagging agricultural products as a key concern. He said this would wreck the country’s economy.

Alleging that Indian markets could become a dumping ground for American goods, Khera said over 40 percent of India’s exports to the US were already duty-free even before this deal, particularly electronics, pharmaceuticals, petroleum products, tea, coffee and spices.

He warned that slashing of import tariffs on US agricultural and food products would “break the backbone of Indian farmers.”

Pawan Khera claimed American farmers stood to gain access to a vast market, while Indian agriculture would suffer.