'Order from US that India agreed to follow': Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi criticises trade agreement with Washington

Sharing an excerpt from the joint statement issued by the Commerce Minister and the White House, the Sena (UBT) MP alleged that the deal follows what US President Donald Trump had earlier stated on social media.

"A joint statement has been issued by the US and India. I'd reiterate this isn't an outcome of talks but that of an order from the US that the Indian government has agreed to follow. Follows most of what the US President had already said on Truth Social. 'India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on a wide range of US food and agricultural products... The US will apply a reciprocal tariff rate of 18 per cent on originating goods of India, including textile and apparel, leather and footwear, plastic and rubber, organic chemicals, home decor, artisanal products, and certain machinery'," Chaturvedi wrote.

Earlier today, the two nations announced a framework for an Interim Agreement on reciprocal, mutually beneficial trade, a step toward advancing the broader US-India Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) negotiations launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump in February 2025, according to a joint statement released by the White House and the Commerce Ministry.

As per the agreement, the US will apply a reciprocal tariff rate of 18 per cent on Indian originating goods, including textiles and apparel, leather and footwear, plastic and rubber, organic chemicals, home decor, artisanal products, and certain machinery.

The United States will also remove tariffs on certain aircraft and aircraft parts from India, which were imposed to address national security threats, the joint statement said.

According to the statement, India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on all US industrial goods and a wide range of food and agricultural products, including dried distillers' grains (DDGs), red sorghum for animal feed, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, soybean oil, wine and spirits, and additional products.

India also intends to purchase USD 500 billion of US energy products, aircraft and aircraft parts, precious metals, technology products, and coking coal over the next five years. (ANI)