Congress MP Manish Tewari has sharply criticised the newly announced India-US trade deal, questioning whether it compromises India's long-cherished strategic autonomy. In a pointed post on X, he highlighted demands for India to cease oil purchases from Russia, impose no tariffs on American imports, and commit to buying $500 billion worth of US energy, technology, agriculture, and coal, while facing an 18 per cent reciprocal tariff on its exports. Tewari's outburst—"What the hell happened to India's strategic autonomy?"—captures growing unease among opposition voices over the deal's terms.

The controversy erupted following a phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, whom Trump praised as a "powerful and respected leader." Trump announced the pact on X, claiming Modi agreed to halt Russian oil imports in favour of greater purchases from the US and "potentially" Venezuela.

This move, Trump argued, would aid efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, amid thousands of weekly casualties. A White House official confirmed to ANI that the US would lift its additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian imports—imposed over Russian oil buys—only if India fully ceases, rather than merely reduces, those purchases.

India has relied heavily on discounted Russian crude since Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine triggered Western sanctions, boosting Russia's share of India's oil imports to around 40 per cent by 2023-24.

However, volumes have declined from over 2 million barrels per day in mid-2025 to 1.6 million by September, amid US pressure including tariff hikes to 50 per cent and threats of further escalation. The US has pitched Venezuelan oil as an alternative, following the capture of former president Nicolás Maduro in January 2026 and Washington's subsequent control over Caracas's hydrocarbons sector.

Under the deal's outline, India will eliminate tariffs and non-tariff barriers on US goods, while the US reduces its tariff on Indian exports from 25 per cent to 18 per cent—a concession Modi hailed on X as beneficial for "Made in India" products.

Yet Tewari decried the asymmetry, asking how India could feasibly procure $500 billion in US goods annually. Complete details remain undisclosed, prompting calls for parliamentary scrutiny to reveal any "conditions precedent."

This development aligns with broader US efforts to redirect global energy flows away from Russia, including overtures to India for Venezuelan crude after Caracas opened its sector to private firms. 

Venezuelan interim leader Delcy Rodríguez recently discussed energy cooperation with Modi. Critics like Tewari warn that such shifts could erode India's non-aligned foreign policy tradition, especially as New Delhi navigates ties with Russia amid ongoing defence and energy dependencies.

Tewari's intervention echoes his history of raising economic red flags, from rupee depreciation to air pollution and electoral reforms. Opposition leaders, including KC Venugopal, have joined debates on related issues like budget concessions and nuclear energy bills. As the deal unfolds, it risks amplifying domestic political tensions ahead of key parliamentary sessions.

The pact underscores shifting Indo-US economic ties under Trump's second term, building on prior tariff battles but introducing geopolitical strings tied to Ukraine and Venezuela. While proponents see gains in market access, detractors fear a precedent for coerced diversification that prioritises Washington's agenda over India's multi-vector diplomacy.

Based On ANI Report