Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala on Saturday said the fate of the US-India trade framework is under a “serious cloud” after the US Supreme Court invalidated tariffs imposed by the US under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
“The fate of the US-India trade deal, i.e. the ‘Framework Agreement’, which was hastily implemented by the Modi government, is now under serious cloud,” Surjewala said.
“Will Modi government scrap US-India trade deal now?” he asked in a lengthy post on X.
what’s going on
In a major defeat for US President Donald Trump, the US Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that the Trump administration exceeded its statutory authority by using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) of 1977 to impose broad import tariffs.
The decision invalidated billions of dollars in “reciprocal” and extraordinary tariffs.
Read also | Trump’s 10% Global Tariffs: How Much Will India Pay After US President’s Order?
In response, Trump imposed a 10% global tariff on foreign goods to preserve his trade agenda. The tariff is now set to expire on February 24 at 00:01 (local time).
The law Trump is invoking for the tariff — Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 — only allows the tariff for 150 days unless Congress extends it.
Read also | Tariff order SC LIVE: Trump signs executive order imposing 10% global tariffs
The development casts doubt on whether the 18 percent “reciprocal tariff” imposed by the US on India as part of the “historic” trade deal will now stand.
The White House said on Saturday, according to Reuters, that in light of recent events, additional ad valorem duties imposed under the IEEPA will cease to apply and will no longer be collected as soon as possible.
Surjewala questions PM Modi
Surjewala further questioned why the Center “suddenly rushed to implement the US-India trade agreement – the ‘Framework Agreement’ on February 6, 2026, despite the full knowledge that the United States Supreme Court had heard the issue of nullification of the President’s power to impose tariffs on November 5, 2025 and was awaiting a judgment on the merits.”
The Congress leader asked what India’s next steps would be:
1. “Will the Modi government now claim it is in the ‘national interest’ to buy cheaper Russian and Iranian oil to ensure the country’s ‘energy security’?
2. “Will the Modi government now declare its intention not to import ‘food and agricultural products’ from the US at the expense of the lives and livelihoods of India’s 72 million farmers and farm workers?”
Read also | What does the US Supreme Court ruling on tariffs mean for D-street, gold and silver rates?
3. “Will the Modi government declare its intention not to import processed maize (dried distillers grains – DDG), Jowar (sorghum), soybeans, cotton, fresh and processed fruits, nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios) and other ‘food supplements and agricultural products’ from the US to protect the interests of Indian farmers?”
4. “Will the Modi government declare that it will no longer raise ‘Non-Tariff Barriers’ i.e. withdraw meager agricultural subsidies or allow import of ‘Genetically Modified – GM’ crops into India, protecting our seed integrity, purity and biodiversity?”
Read also | Trump slams Supreme Court ruling on tariffs: ‘Embarrassed, deeply disappointed’
5. “Will the Modi government now declare that it is no longer obliged to import US$500 billion worth of US goods? ₹45 lakh crore) over the next 5 years at zero tariff, thereby protecting Indian manufacturers and industry?”
6. “Does Modi government promise to protect India’s data and digital security?”
“Haste is the work of the devil”
Meanwhile, Congress leader Pawan Khera remarked, “Haste is the work of the devil.
He said, “The United States Supreme Court struck down Donald Trump’s so-called global tariffs. If India had waited just another 18 days, we might not have been driven into what is a one-sided, anti-India trade deal.”
He also asked a series of questions:
1. “Why did Modi make a late-night call to Washington on February 2?”
2. “Why did India abandon its original strategy of waiting for the US Supreme Court verdict today?”
3. “Has General Manoj Mukund Naravane leaked it?”
4. “Is it the shadow of Jeffrey Epstein’s writings?”
5. “Is this a US criminal case involving Gautam Adani?”
Khera wrote on X, “Today Congress has been bought off: Narendra Modi is compromised.”