‘Trump-nirbharta’: Congress Targets PM After US Announces India Trade Deal First

The Congress on Monday launched a sharp attack on the Modi government’s foreign policy communication after the United States announced a trade deal with India following a phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump. The opposition alleged that key developments involving India were disclosed by the American side before any official statement from New Delhi, calling it a case of “Trump-nirbharta”.

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh questioned the sequence of announcements, pointing out that the first confirmation of the Modi-Trump call came from the US Ambassador to India. In a post on X, Ramesh cited a message by Sergio Gor, who had written, “President Trump just spoke with Prime Minister Modi. STAY TUNED,” even before any statement was issued by the Indian government.

Ramesh said it was unusual that information about India’s diplomatic engagements was emerging from Washington rather than New Delhi. He added that Indians were learning about their government’s actions through statements made by the US President or his appointees. Coining the term “Trump-nirbharta,” Ramesh argued that this reflected a dependence on the American leadership for communicating developments related to India’s foreign policy.

Soon after the ambassador’s post, President Trump shared a message on Truth Social, featuring an India Today magazine cover showing him alongside PM Modi. Trump then formally announced that the US and India had reached a trade deal under which tariffs on Indian goods exported to the US would be reduced from 25 per cent to 18 per cent with immediate effect. He described Modi as a “great friend” and said the agreement was the result of direct talks between the two leaders.

Following Trump’s announcement, PM Modi also took to X to confirm the conversation and welcome the tariff cut. Calling the discussion “wonderful,” the Prime Minister thanked Trump on behalf of India’s 1.4 billion people and said the reduction in tariffs on “Made in India” products would benefit Indian exporters and manufacturers.

Modi emphasised that cooperation between the world’s largest democracies and major economies would unlock immense opportunities for mutually beneficial growth. He also praised Trump’s leadership, calling it important for global peace, stability, and prosperity, and said India fully supports efforts aimed at promoting peace. The Prime Minister added that he looked forward to taking the India-US partnership to unprecedented heights.

Despite the government’s positive framing of the trade deal, the Congress maintained that the controversy was not about the substance of the agreement but about how it was communicated. The party argued that major diplomatic and economic developments involving India should be formally announced by the Indian government, rather than being revealed first by foreign leaders or officials.

The episode has added a political edge to the India-US trade deal, with the opposition using the timing of announcements to question the Centre’s approach to foreign policy messaging, even as the government highlights the economic and strategic gains from closer engagement with Washington.