India-US trade deal lacks clarity, Govt must inform Parliament, says Shashi Tharoor

Questioning the India-US trade deal, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday (February 3) said that the lack of clarity is the main cause of concern. He further stated that the government must take the Parliament into confidence, adding that so far, the only information available on the trade deal is US President Donald Trump’s social media posts and press statements.

‘Need for clarity’

Speaking to reporters, Tharoor said that there was a “need for clarity”, adding that claims of India buying $500 billion worth of US goods and opening up its market to American agricultural products have raised serious concerns, particularly about the potential impact on farmers.

Also Read: India-US trade deal: Top 10 things we know so far from Modi-Trump statements

“I strongly feel there is a need for clarity. All we have so far are President Trump’s tweets and press statements, with no details. Claims about India purchasing $500 billion worth of US goods and opening the market to American agricultural products raise serious questions, especially given the implications for Indian farmers,” said Tharoor.

‘Govt must inform Parliament’

While acknowledging that reduced US tariffs were a more positive development than higher tariffs, Tharoor cautioned against premature celebrations, stating that the terms of the India-US trade deal were yet to become fully clear.

Also Read: Who is Sergio Gor, the diplomat said to have clinched US-India trade deal?

“While a trade deal is important and reduced tariffs are better than higher ones, we cannot celebrate without understanding the terms. The government must take Parliament into confidence and clearly explain what has been agreed to,” said Tharoor.

“Right now, there is concern because there is no clarity-the Congress is asking questions, and the BJP is not providing answers. That is the core issue,” he added.

Trump on India-US trade deal

Tharoor’s remarks come in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s announcement on Monday that Washington and New Delhi have finalised a trade deal has drawn attention, but key details remain unclear. More than half a day after the announcement, neither side has issued a joint statement or released any formal document outlining the terms.

Also Read: US offers Venezuelan oil to India to cut Russian crude imports

Trump said on social media that the agreement followed a phone call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and involved tariff cuts, wider market access and large-scale purchases of US goods by India. US officials later clarified that tariffs on Indian goods would be reduced to 18 per cent from earlier levels that had gone as high as 50 per cent, though the products covered were not specified.

No clarity in Trump’s claim

There is also no clarity on Trump’s claim that India would cut tariffs on US goods to zero, or on the assertion that India would buy over $500 billion worth of American products. No timeline has been indicated, and Indian authorities have not confirmed the figures.

Trump also suggested India would move away from Russian oil, a claim New Delhi has not addressed.