Swadeshi Jagran Manch backs India-US interim deal, says Trump did it under pressure

Amid the Opposition targeting it over the India-US interim trade agreement which the two countries jointly revealed early on Saturday (February 7), the Narendra Modi government found support from the Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which promotes “aatmanirbharata” (economic self-reliance) and criticised the Donald Trump administration for imposing steep tariffs on India in the recent past.

Also read: Trade boost or strategic retreat? India-US deal beyond the rhetoric

Satish Kumar, national co-organiser of the SJM, told The Federal that the India-US framework for an interim agreement on reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade materialised because Washington was under pressure to secure a deal with New Delhi, especially after the latter entered into a free-trade agreement with the European Union (EU) on January 27.

Termed the “mother of all deals”, the India-EU agreement opens a market of roughly USD 23 trillion across 27 countries to the South Asian nation.

'India-US deal on right lines'

Kumar called the India-US interim deal was on “right lines” and that it was going through a process and not being influenced by the US’s one-sided takes.

“The deal is on the right lines. We have not started it yet. It has come through a long process. For now, the framework has been finalised; details will come later. The details of the framework show we are on the very right lines where we started in April last year. It is not like the US is taking a unilateral call, like imposing high tariffs. Detailed discussions have been held,” he told The Federal.

Also read: Details of India-US interim trade deal: Which sectors benefit, what’s protected

“They (US) felt the pressure after we (India) had a trade deal with the EU. They (US) felt India has carved out a market for itself since the EU is a USD 23 trillion market and won’t face any difficulties. This is what mounted back pressure on Washington,” he added.

SJM leader slams Trump's new warning

Also over the US executive order released on Friday (February 6) mentioning that Washington would reimpose harsh tariffs on India in case it is found to be purchasing oil from Russia (Trump revoked the additional 25 per cent tariff imposed on India last August for buying Russian oil in the same order), Kumar said, “We have clearly stated that we would have an independent policy when it comes to energy. We will purchase oil from wherever we want to.”

“Our oil imports with Russia have not gone to zero; we have only reduced it. Purchasing oil from Russia was just an excuse for the US to pressure us. We have a strategic partnership with Russia,” the SJM leader said.

Unlike the Opposition, which has accused the Modi government of exposing the Indian farmers through the interim agreement with the US, Kumar said the interest of “mainline” agriculture and farming products has been kept in mind while sealing FTAs made with the EU and New Zealand, which happened in December 2025.

Also read: How India-US trade deal map sends a diplomatic signal to Pakistan

“It is just ethanol and processed soybean that we are taking (from the US). It has nothing to do with farmers,” he said.

Opposition flays Modi government

However, the Opposition raised concerns about the deal over its impact on farmers, tariffs, and oil imports.

Congress leader Pawan Khera attacked the Modi government over the deal, questioning what he called a shift in India’s diplomatic posture.

“Where is India, which used to look in the eyes of (Richard) Nixon, George Bush and (Barack) Obama and forge practical relations?" he asked.

Khera alleged that the interests of ordinary Indians were being undermined, saying, "This is not an agreement with the US, but a compromise with our self-respect. This is not a deal, but a surrender," he said, adding that the Opposition was being stopped from raising these issues in Parliament because the government feared scrutiny over the terms of the agreement.

Also read: India-US trade deal: Zero tariffs on gems, pharma, farm produce, says Goyal

Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala also warned that the agreement could harm farmers and rural livelihoods. He said, "A blow has been delivered to the stomachs of India's 720 million farmers."

He questioned the government on possible impacts. "We are already importing USD 334 million worth of cotton from the US, which has caused cotton prices for Indian farmers to crash. Now, with corn, cotton, sorghum, fruits, processed fruits, and soybeans coming from the US, I ask PM Modi and Piyush Goyal: what will happen to India's farmers? Where will they go?" he said.

Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Manoj Kumar Jha also criticised the tariff changes and accused the government of misleading the public. "Our tariff, in the worst of times and the best of times, was 2.9 per cent. Through threats, it was raised to 50 per cent. Then it was reduced to 18 per cent. Is this something to celebrate? Aren't you misleading the entire nation?" he said.

He warned that the deal could lead to public anger once its full impact is known.