Foreign Minister Vikram Misri. File | Photo credit: ANI
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, chaired by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, held a marathon three-and-a-half-hour meeting on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, to examine the recent trade deals signed by India with the United States and the European Union, amid growing political scrutiny over their implications for farmers, energy security and regional trade.
Briefing the panel, Foreign Minister Vikram Misri said that given the “shifted global paradigm”, a trade deal with the United States represented the best possible outcome that India could secure. He repeatedly assured members that farmers’ interests would be protected and not compromised under the deal.
Mr. Misri has faced constant questions about the continued import of Russian oil to India, especially in the context of recent statements from Washington. He told lawmakers that the government had decided not to respond to the US executive order issued by President Donald Trump and was instead sticking strictly to the details contained in the trade deal signed between the two countries.
The remarks came days after Mr. Trump issued an executive order to lift punitive 25% tariffs on Indian goods, saying India had already begun curbing purchases of Russian oil and warning that tariffs could be reimposed if such imports increased.
According to sources present at the meeting, Mr Misri did not offer a definitive answer on whether India had made any formal commitment to the US to end purchases of Russian oil, instead reiterating that India’s decisions would continue to be guided by national interests.
Responding to questions about the US expectation that India would buy $500 billion worth of US goods over the next five years, Mr Mistry said it was not “binding” and was only a statement of intent.
As for the proposed trade deal between India and the EU, the Foreign Secretary has not yet given a clear timetable for when the deal will come into force, which has raised concerns among several members.
Lawmakers also raised questions about US trade concessions to Bangladesh, warning they could have adverse consequences for Indian cotton farmers. The members pointed out that Bangladesh has historically been one of the largest importers of Indian cotton and sought to clarify the likely impact now that the US is set to supply cotton to Bangladesh under its revised trade arrangements.
Published – 10 Feb 2026 23:23 IST