New Delhi, Feb 7,(UNI) Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the Modi government over the India–United States Joint Statement, alleging that behind the diplomatic optics lies a series of concessions that could hurt India’s economic and strategic interests.
In a post on X, Ramesh said that while the joint statement is “silent on details,” the information that has emerged so far paints a troubling picture. “All the hugs and photo-ops have not amounted to much,” he remarked, adding pointedly, “Namaste Trump has scored over Howdy Modi.”
According to Ramesh, one of the most significant implications is on India’s energy security. He claimed that India will no longer import oil from Russia, a move that could raise costs for Indian consumers. “Separately, the US has announced that a 25 per cent penalty could be reimposed if India buys oil directly or indirectly from Russia,” he said, calling it an infringement on India’s strategic autonomy.
The Congress leader also flagged concerns over agriculture and trade. He alleged that India would slash import duties to benefit American farmers, “at the cost of Indian farmers,” potentially exposing domestic agriculture to unfair competition. “India’s annual imports from the USA will triple, wiping out our longstanding goods trade surplus,” Ramesh warned.
On services and exports, he expressed uncertainty over the future of India’s IT sector and other service exports to the US. “There will continue to be great uncertainty on India’s exports of IT and other services to the US,” he said, adding that India’s goods exports could face higher duties than before.
Summing up his criticism, Ramesh suggested that the much-publicised bonhomie between the two leaders has failed to deliver tangible gains for India. He ended his post with a stark line in Hindi, capturing what he described as a breakdown in trust: “Dost dost na raha!” Officials have, however, maintained that the India-US partnership is based on mutual benefit and long-term strategic alignment, and that details of trade and energy arrangements will be clarified through ongoing negotiations.
