Congress MP Jairam Ramesh has reignited his fierce opposition to the recently inked India-US trade deal framework, branding it as profoundly unbalanced and detrimental to India's interests.

Speaking on 25 February 2026, he demanded that the government muster the courage to place the agreement on hold, warning of catastrophic consequences for millions of farmers.

Ramesh, a vocal critic of the pact signed on 2 February 2026, highlighted a fresh provocation from the United States: the imposition of a staggering 125.87 per cent duty on solar module imports from India. In a pointed post on X, he questioned the sincerity of US President Donald Trump's commitments, especially given Prime Minister Narendra Modi's close rapport with him.

"This extraordinary tariff hike starkly contradicts the trade deal's promise to fling open American markets to Indian exports," Ramesh asserted. He portrayed the Prime Minister as Trump's "good friend" in New Delhi, whose applause for the deal now rings hollow against this protectionist move.

The Congress leader dissected the deal's asymmetry with precision. While it ostensibly liberalises India's imports from the US—easing access to American goods—Indian exporters remain at the mercy of unilateral US presidential decisions. "Exports to the US will dance to the whims and fancies of the President," Ramesh remarked acidly.

This imbalance, he argued, tilts the scales heavily in Washington's favour, exposing India's agricultural sector to ruinous competition. Ramesh cautioned that proceeding would prove "singularly disastrous" for lakhs of farmers, whose livelihoods hinge on shielding domestic markets from subsidised US produce.

The timing of the solar tariff announcement amplifies Ramesh's grievances. It comes mere weeks after the deal's framework was rushed through, bypassing a critical US Supreme Court ruling that could have strengthened India's negotiating hand.

On 20 February 2026, the US Supreme Court delivered a 6-3 verdict, ruling that President Trump's administration had overstepped its authority by invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) of 1977 to impose sweeping tariffs. The decision reaffirmed Congress's primary role in taxation, curbing executive overreach.

Undeterred, Trump swiftly escalated worldwide tariffs to the "fully allowed, and legally tested, 15 per cent level," effective immediately. Ramesh lambasted the Indian government for not awaiting this outcome, accusing it of desperation in sealing the deal on 2 February.

Public court calendars had long signalled 20 February as a non-argument day, with arguments heard back on 5 November 2025. Justices' inclinations against Trump's tariffs were widely anticipated. "Why the haste?" Ramesh demanded on X, implying the early signing served merely to divert media attention.

This is not Ramesh's first salvo. On Sunday prior to his latest remarks, he had already questioned the Centre's timeline, urging a pause until post-verdict clarity emerged. He now frames the solar duties as irrefutable proof of the deal's flaws.

Critics like Ramesh contend the framework compromises Indian farmers by potentially flooding markets with cheap US dairy, poultry, and grains—sectors long protected under safeguards like those in earlier pacts. The absence of robust reciprocity clauses leaves India vulnerable.

Proponents of the deal, including government spokespersons, have touted it as a strategic win amid global trade turbulence, promising gains in services, technology, and manufacturing. Yet Ramesh counters that such rhetoric masks the agrarian peril.

India's solar ambitions, central to its green energy push under initiatives like the PM Surya Ghar scheme, now face a body blow. The 125.87 per cent tariff threatens to hobble exports from firms like Adani Solar and Tata Power Solar, undermining Atmanirbhar Bharat goals in renewables.

The episode underscores Trump's "America First" revival, even as Modi seeks deeper Quad ties and defence pacts. Ramesh's intervention injects domestic political friction, with Congress eyeing it as ammunition ahead of key state polls.

As the dust settles, the government faces mounting pressure to renegotiate or suspend. Ramesh's clarion call—"India must be bold"—resonates in opposition circles, challenging New Delhi to prioritise national sovereignty over hasty diplomacy.

Will the trade deal proceed amid this solar storm, or will Ramesh's warnings prompt a rethink? The coming days may reveal whether boldness prevails over expediency.

ANI