'Not trade deal...': Chidambaram questions lopsided framework
What's the story
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram has questioned the nature of the recent agreement between India and the United States. He asserted that the framework that India and the US have arrived at is not a deal but an interim agreement that is being "celebrated as a Bilateral Trade Agreement." "What has been made available to us is only a joint statement issued by the White House... I can go by only the joint statement," he told NDTV.
Agreement scrutiny
Section 232 investigation not made public: Chidambaram
Chidambaram also raised concerns over the lack of transparency in the investigation under Section 232. He said, "The Section 232 investigation has not been made public either." He asked why the government was hesitant to disclose orders passed by US President Donald Trump or details of this investigation. "Why is the government shy of disclosing the orders passed by President Trump... The government should tell us what those orders are."
Commitment concerns
Asymmetry in the deal, says Chidambaram
Chidambaram also expressed concern over what he sees as an asymmetry in the deal. He pointed out that while India has committed to eliminating or reducing tariffs, the US will keep its tariffs at 18%. "Prior to April 2025, what were the tariffs? It was about average between two and three percent," he said. This, he said, would impact India's major exports like seafood, leather products, and textiles.
Knowledge query
Jaishankar knew nothing about trade agreement: Chidambaram
Chidambaram also questioned the government's narrative of a "diplomatic win." "What is the diplomatic win? I don't know. Mr. Jaishankar said he knew nothing about the Indo-US trade agreement. So if he if the Minister of External Affairs does not know and he does not spell out... How can I agree that it is a diplomatic win?" he questioned.