Congress's Manish Tewari raised alarms over the 2026 Indo-US trade framework, citing "portentous implications". He warned it could open India's industrial and agricultural sectors to the US and demanded a full discussion in Parliament.
Congress leader Manish Tewari has raised concerns about the wording of the February 6, 2026, Indo-US Joint Statement on a framework for the Bilateral Trade Agreement, saying it implies significant concessions by India on industrial and agricultural tariffs to the United States.
Tewari Demands Parliamentary Discussion
Manish Tewari said that a specific sentence regarding the elimination or reduction of tariffs on all U.S. industrial goods merits a full parliamentary discussion due to its potentially "portentous implications".
He highlighted that the phrasing for the industrial sector appears "wide open," and the agricultural reference includes "not limited to," suggesting potential unilateral concessions already made in the 2026 Finance Bill.
"Does this sentence in the Indo-US Joint Statement of 6 th February2026 mean that India has agreed to open up its Industrial and agricultural sectors completely to the United States without any let or hindrance ? 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 wrote on X.
"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. "
India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on all U.S. industrial goods and a wide range of U.S. food and agricultural products, including dried distillers' grains (DDGs), red sorghum for animal feed, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, soybean oil, wine and spirits, and additional products", Tewari added.
Background of the Trade Agreement
On Friday, February 6, the United States of America (United States) and India released a joint statement on a framework for an Interim Agreement on reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade (Interim Agreement).
The joint statement said that," Today's framework reaffirms the countries' commitment to the broader U.S.-India Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) negotiations, launched by President Donald J. Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 13, 2025, which will include additional market access commitments and support more resilient supply chains. The Interim Agreement between the United States and India will represent a historic milestone in our countries' partnership, demonstrating a common commitment to reciprocal and balanced trade based on mutual interests and concrete outcomes. (ANI)
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