India now has “many options” on trade and exports, government sources told CNN-News18 on Tuesday, pushing back against the Opposition criticism over the newly-announced trade deal with the United States.
The remarks came amid debates that the 18 per cent tariff rate announced under the new agreement with the United States was still too high.
According to the sources, New Delhi has followed a two-pronged strategy in recent years, seeking access to new markets while simultaneously promoting a wider basket of export products.
They said the series of free trade agreements signed with other countries has diversified India’s commercial partners and reduced dependence on any single market.
OPPN RUCKUS IN PARLIAMENT OVER INDIA-US TRADE DEAL
As political reactions over the India-US trade deal continued, it spiralled into Parliament, triggering sharp scenes in the Lok Sabha.
Opposition MPs protested soon after the House assembled, objecting to the tariff announcement by US President Donald Trump following his phone call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as well as to other pending disputes.
Speaker Om Birla repeatedly appealed for order as he attempted to make obituary references, but members trooped into the well, raising slogans such as “Surrender Modi”.
Birla described the disruptions as a “planned manner” of stalling proceedings and underlined that Question Hour was a crucial opportunity for the Opposition to hold the government to account before adjourning the House for nearly an hour.
The ruckus also drew on Monday’s confrontation, when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tried to quote from an unpublished memoir of former Army chief MM Naravane relating to the 2020 India-China standoff. Birla disallowed the reference, but Gandhi persisted, escalating tensions on the floor.
JP NADDA ACCUSES OPPN OF ‘SEEING BAD THINGS IN GOOD’
Meanwhile, in the Rajya Sabha, MP JP Nadda accused the Opposition of reading negativity into what he framed as a diplomatic and economic gain.
Referring to Trump’s announcement, Nadda said the US President had informed India about the agreement the previous night and added,
“I can see the Opposition’s frustration.”
He went on to remark, “They have a habit of seeing bad things in good,” while assuring members that the government would soon place full details of the trade pact before Parliament.
Nadda said the concerned minister would discuss the matter and that a statement would be made shortly, declaring, “On behalf of the government, I can assure you that the government will give all the details on the trade.”
He further charged that Congress and the INDI Alliance were behaving irresponsibly, adding, “What you are saying has been proved wrong.”
The trade deal at the heart of the row envisages Washington lowering reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent.
PM Modi welcomed the development, saying he was delighted that “Made in India” products would face reduced duties and thanking Trump on behalf of India’s population for the move.
