The Congress on Monday (Feb 16, 2026) accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “capitulation” to the United States, saying the India-US interim trade deal undermines India’s energy security, data and digital autonomy, farmers’ livelihoods and economic self-sufficiency.
The main opposition party said it was ready to hold discussions with the ruling party at a place and time of its choosing.
“Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi have ordered me to state the facts,” party general secretary Randeep Surjewala said, adding that he was ready to discuss with them “in the BJP office even today”.
Mr Surjewala was responding to a call made by Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday (February 15) for “Mr Gandhi to discuss a trade deal with the BJP Yuva Morcha (youth wing) chief”.
At the sovereign’s expense
Addressing a press conference, Mr Surjewala said trade deals must be based on parity and mutual interest, not at the expense of national sovereignty.
“The national interest cannot be stopped under the guise of a trade deal,” he said, describing the deal as a “one-sided and unequal” pact that threatens India’s core economic priorities.
Mr Surjewala claimed the February 6 framework agreement opened the door to duty-free imports of US agricultural and food products, which he said would “destroy” the livelihoods of millions of farmers across the country.
He argued that large imports of products such as corn, sorghum, soybeans, cotton and processed foods would depress domestic prices and hurt Indian manufacturers.
Disparity in production
Citing production figures, he said India produces about 43 million metric tons of maize annually compared to 425 million metric tons in the United States, while soybean production is around 15.3 million tons in India compared to 120 million tons in the US.
“Duty-free imports would make it impossible for Indian farmers to compete (in the market),” he said.
He also warned that fruit and nut growers in states such as Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir could face severe price pressures if US produce entered the market duty-free.
Imports of processed agricultural products also raise concerns about genetically modified (GM) crops entering India “through the back door”, Mr Surjewala said.
The Congress General Secretary further argued that the “non-tariff barriers” removal clause would weaken protections and subsidies for Indian farmers, even though American farmers receive much higher government support.
On energy security, he said statements from the US indicated that India was committed to curbing oil purchases from Russia. India imported crude oil worth ₹15.24 crore from Russia between February 2022 and January 2026, saving about ₹1.81 crore due to lower prices. Any shift to more expensive imports from the US or elsewhere would raise energy costs and undermine self-sufficiency, he added.
Mr Surjewala also questioned a provision requiring India to buy US goods worth $100 billion a year for five years, saying it contradicted earlier claims of expanding “reciprocal trade” to that level.
“Is this agreement based on equality or coercion?” he asked, adding that the country needed to be clear about whether it was a “strong government” or a “compromised government”.
Former commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma also criticized the Centre, terming the prime minister’s remarks about trade talks under the UPA as “unfair and incorrect”.
He said that during the Congress-led government, India had negotiated trade deals with ASEAN, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia as a “confident nation and equal”.
“During the UPA government, India’s economy grew rapidly, recording an average annual GDP growth of more than 8%. The Indian economy withstood the global meltdown after the 2008 banking and financial meltdown and bounced back quickly. World leaders sought Dr Singh’s wisdom to manage the crisis,” Mr Sharma told The Hindu, describing the interim trade deal with the US as a “trade deal with the US.”
“The Prime Minister has completely surrendered to President Trump – exactly the same way he did on May 10, 2025, when he abruptly and unexpectedly stopped Operation Sindoor,” Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X while sharing Mr. Surjewal’s press statement.
Published – 16 Feb 2026 22:31 IST