'Non-statement': Congress slams Piyush Goyal's remarks on US' tariff announcement

Slamming Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal's remarks in Parliament on US' tariff announcement as a "non-statement", the Congress on Thursday said all he engaged in was "totally misplaced self-congratulation" and claimed that the concerns and sentiments of Indian businesses were simply not addressed.

Goyal on Thursday said India will take all necessary steps to safeguard and promote national interest. His remarks came a day after US President Donald Trump announced 25 per cent tariffs plus penalty on domestic exports to America from August 1.

In a suo motu statement in both the Houses of Parliament, Goyal said the government is examining the implications of these tariffs and is in consultation with all stakeholders, including farmers, exporters, MSMEs and industry bodies, on the issue.

Reacting to Goyal's remarks, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "Today the Commerce Minister made a non-statement on President Trump and the US tariff issue in both Houses of the Parliament. All he engaged in was totally misplaced self-congratulation."

The real issues thrown up by the failure to clinch a trade deal with the US, the imposition of a 25 per cent tariff on Indian imports by the US, and additional penalties for engaging in trade with Russia and Iran were hardly touched upon, the Congress leader said.

The concerns and sentiments of Indian businesses were simply not addressed, Ramesh said.

"It is abundantly clear that India faces new and huge challenges with the US now. Prime Minister Modi had banked on his much-vaunted personal friendship wih President Trump. This has proved to be completely hollow," he said in a post on X.

Ramesh further said the Indian economy has never really recovered from the twin shocks of a bizarre demonetisation and a fundamentally flawed GST.

"The growth rate of the Indian economy will simply not accelerate with current levels of private corporate investment and current levels of private consumption. The Modi government's own policies are responsible for this twin deficit," he said.

US President Trump on Wednesday announced the imposition of a 25 per cent tariff on all goods coming from India starting August 1, plus an unspecified penalty for buying Russian crude oil and military equipment.

The surprise announcement came amid a US trade team visiting India from August 25 for the sixth round of negotiations for the proposed bilateral trade agreement.