‘Trump could say something different tomorrow’
NEW DELHI: The Opposition has urged the Centre to tread cautiously after United States President Donald Trump called for “continuing negotiations” with India to resolve the issue of trade barriers.
Senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Manish Tewari Wednesday said the Indian government should proceed carefully, noting that the US President could say something entirely different tomorrow. Tewari told ANI that New Delhi must conclude trade talks with Washington in a manner that ensures the terms remain favourable for India.
“It is not done till it is done. With great respect, you may have a different post from President Trump on Truth Social tomorrow. Until something concludes on terms that are not unfavourable to India, the proof of the pudding lies in its eating,” Tewari said.
Another Congress leader and MP Pramod Tiwari said the trade talks should move ahead in a manner that these are not negotiations between ‘friends’ Narendra Modi and Donald Trump but between two nations for the interests of their people.
“India-US relations are not just of the present day. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had laid a strong foundation. Indira ji, Rajiv ji, Narasimha Rao ji, Manmohan ji and Atal Bihari ji carried that forward. But after PM Modi came to power, he went beyond the established foreign policy and went for their election and did ‘Howdy Modi’, ‘Namaste Trump’ and ‘Agli Baar Trump Sarkar’. This changed the entire equation. But both of these are large nations, I am confident that very soon good relations will be established between the two…I would like to say this very clearly that this time, the talks should not be between Modi and Trump but it should be about the interests of America and India.”
The reactions from the Congress party came after President Trump, in his latest U-turn, expressed enthusiasm over the bilateral trade negotiations. Trump, while announcing trade negotiations on Truth Social stressed on addressing “trade barriers” and PM Modi responded by posting on X that bilateral trade talks would help “unlock the limitless potential” of the partnership.
In his reaction, PM Modi described India and the US as “natural partners”. Modi further said he was confident the negotiations would progress and that he was looking forward to speaking to Trump.
“India and the US are close friends and natural partners. I am confident that our trade negotiations will pave the way for unlocking the limitless potential of the India-US partnership. Our teams are working to conclude these discussions at the earliest. I am also looking forward to speaking with President Trump. We will work together to secure a brighter, more prosperous future for both our people,” PM Modi said.
Trump had earlier posted: “I am pleased to announce that India and the United States of America are continuing negotiations to address the Trade Barriers between our two Nations. I look forward to speaking with my very good friend, Prime Minister Modi, in the upcoming weeks. I feel certain that there will be no difficulty in coming to a successful conclusion for both of our Great Countries.”
The US President later even reposted PM Modi’s comments.
The fresh conversation between the two leaders on social media platforms is happening in the wake of the US imposing up to 50 per cent tariffs on Indian imports, dealing a blow to the bilateral relationship nurtured over decades. Trump had called the tariffs on India as a penalty for buying oil from Russia, which is waging a war on Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal also targeted PM Modi after his remarks on India-US trade talks. Kejriwal claimed that the PM, in order to “please Trump”, was putting at risk the interests of cotton farmers.
Kejriwal asked on X, “What kind of negotiation is going on between the two countries? Only one-sided talks? Keeping our farmers, traders, and the employment of youth on the line, the Indian market is being completely opened up for the Americans. If the entire Indian market comes under the control of the Americans, where will our people go?”
“Such a surrender in front of Trump is not only fatal for the Indian economy but also an insult to 1.4 billion Indians,” Kejriwal added.
Agencies