New Delhi, Feb 11 (UNI) Accusing the government of having “sold Mother India” under pressure from the United States, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday launched a blistering attack in the Lok Sabha over the India–US trade deal, triggering sharp protests from the Treasury benches and a forceful rebuttal from Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju.
Participating in the discussion on the union Budget in the Lower House, Gandhi alleged that the Centre had signed the trade agreement “under pressure” from Washington and compromised India’s strategic interests, particularly in the digital and agricultural sectors.
“Our data has been sold. Our farmers have been sold,” Gandhi declared, his remarks drawing loud objections from BJP members. “If India refused to comply, tariffs would be raised again. Is this how a sovereign nation negotiates?”
The outburst marked the culmination of a week of rising tensions in the Lok Sabha, where the trade pact has dominated proceedings. Since last week, opposition parties have repeatedly demanded greater transparency on the contours of the agreement, alleging that Parliament was being kept in the dark on critical provisions relating to digital trade, data flows and agricultural safeguards. The government, in turn, has accused the Opposition of spreading misinformation and undermining India’s global standing.
Framing the global context as one of shifting power equations, Gandhi said the world was moving away from the era of uncontested US dominance. “We are living in a time of war- Ukraine, Gaza, the Middle East. The dollar is being challenged. US dominance is being challenged. We are moving from a world of superpowers to a new world we cannot really predict,” he said.
In that backdrop, he argued, India’s bargaining power lay in its vast digital population and data economy. “The most valuable asset in the competition between the US and China is Indian data. If the US wants to remain a superpower and protect its dollar, Indian data is the most important,” he said.
Gandhi outlined what he said would have been his approach had the INDIA bloc been negotiating the deal. “We would tell President Trump: the most important thing in this equation is Indian data. You want to save your dollar? We are your friends. But if you want access to this data, you will speak to us as equals. You will not speak to us as if we are your servants.”
He added that energy security and farmers’ interests would have been non-negotiable. “We understand you have an agricultural voter base. We understand you need to protect your farmers. But we will also protect our farmers,” he said.
In one of his sharpest remarks, Gandhi said, “We will not be treated like Pakistan. If President Trump decides to have the Pakistan Army Chief have breakfast with him, we will have something to say about it.”
At the heart of Gandhi’s criticism were provisions he claimed would reshape India’s digital landscape. “You give up control over our digital trade rules. No data localization required. Free data flow into the United States. Limits on digital taxes. No need to disclose any source code. A 20-year tax holiday for big companies. That’s what you have done to data,” he charged.
Calling population “not a burden but the biggest asset”, Gandhi argued that India’s demographic dividend translated into a data dividend. “It is a strength when you recognize that data is power,” he said, contending that the government had failed to do so.
The BJP benches responded with vociferous protests, accusing Gandhi of fear-mongering. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju rose to counter the charge that the country had been “sold”.
“No one has ever been born who would sell this country,” Rijiju said. “What you say doesn’t matter. Congress always wants to weaken the country.” He accused the Opposition of attempting to derail India’s economic growth narrative and undermine investor confidence.
The sharp exchange capped days of escalating rhetoric in the Lok Sabha. Since the trade deal details were tabled, Opposition MPs have sought clarifications on digital sovereignty, tariff structures and safeguards for small farmers and MSMEs. Repeated adjournments earlier in the week reflected the intensity of the dispute, with slogans raised from both sides.
The government has maintained that the agreement strengthens India’s global trade footprint and opens new avenues for exports, while ensuring national interests are protected. Ministers have argued that freer data flows and reduced trade barriers will boost India’s services sector and technology companies.
However, the Opposition has framed the debate as one of sovereignty versus concession, with Gandhi positioning data as the new frontier of geopolitical competition.
As the Lok Sabha session progresses, the trade deal has emerged as a defining flashpoint — not just over economic policy, but over how India navigates a rapidly changing global order. Wednesday’s fiery exchange suggests that the battle lines in the Lower House are unlikely to soften anytime soon.
