The Congress on Monday mounted a sharp attack on the Centre over the newly announced India-US interim trade framework, with MP Randeep Singh Surjewala alleging that it prioritises American commercial interests over Indian farmers, energy security and digital sovereignty.

Addressing a press conference, Surjewala questioned whether the government was shifting from its stated goal of “Atmanirbhar Bharat” to what he termed an “America-dependent Bharat”.

He said trade agreements should promote growth but must be based on equality and protect citizens’ welfare. No deal, he argued, can justify what he described as a surrender of national interest or livelihoods.

Calling the framework a direct attack on farmers, Surjewala pointed to provisions opening Indian markets to American agricultural products, beginning with dried distillers’ grains (processed maize). India produced 430 lakh metric tonnes of maize in 2025-26, while the US produces 42.50 crore metric tonnes annually. If duty-free US maize floods the market, he asked, what would happen to Indian farmers already struggling with rising input costs?

He raised similar concerns over sorghum and soybean oil, arguing that zero-tariff imports could depress MSP-linked returns and weaken farm incomes. The biggest blow, he claimed, would fall on cotton farmers and the textile sector. Referring to a February 9, 2026 US-Bangladesh trade deal allowing garments made from American cotton to enter the US duty-free, he said Indian exporters would continue to face an 18 per cent duty.

On Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s remarks indicating India could secure similar concessions by importing American cotton, Surjewala said this would open the door to more US cotton imports. He cited data showing India imported $378 million (Rs 3,428 crore) worth of cotton from the US in 2024-25, contributing to a Rs 1,000 per quintal fall below MSP in domestic prices.

He also warned that duty-free imports of fruits and nuts could hurt growers in hill and northeastern states, and flagged concerns about genetically modified crop imports, questioning whether processed products could indirectly introduce GM elements into Indian agriculture.

On energy security, Surjewala alleged that a US Executive Order withdrawing a 25 per cent penalty tariff was linked to India reducing Russian oil imports. “Between February 2022 and January 2026, India imported $168 billion (Rs 15.24 lakh crore) worth of Russian oil and saved an estimated $20 billion (Rs 1.81 lakh crore) due to discounted prices,” he said, arguing that shifting to higher-priced crude would undermine economic sovereignty.