Congress Attacks PM Over Rubio Trade Claim
The Congress has targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed that India had committed to purchasing $500 billion worth of American goods over the next five years. The Opposition party questioned why key announcements linked to India’s trade and foreign policy were being made first from Washington.
Congress Questions India-US Trade Commitment
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said Rubio’s statement raised serious questions about the proposed scale of imports from the United States. He claimed that India’s current annual imports from the U.S. are far below the level required to meet a $500 billion five-year target.
Ramesh alleged that the government was moving too far to please the Trump administration and asked whether such a surge in imports could affect India’s foreign exchange position and the rupee.
Rubio Says India Will Buy US Goods
Rubio said India had committed to buying $500 billion in U.S. goods over five years, with focus areas including energy, technology and agriculture. The remarks came during his India visit, which included meetings with Prime Minister Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
India and the U.S. have been discussing trade, energy, defence and technology cooperation as part of efforts to stabilise ties after recent strains.
Opposition Raises Sovereignty Concerns
The Congress also questioned why India had not publicly clarified the terms of the trade understanding. Ramesh referred to earlier instances where Rubio had made major India-related announcements and asked whether the government had allowed Washington to set the public narrative.
The government has not issued a detailed response to the Congress allegations. The issue is likely to add to the political debate around India-U.S. trade ties.
