Rahul Gandhi Accuses PM Modi of Acting Under Pressure in India-US Trade Deal

New Delhi, Feb 2026 : Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that the Prime Minister was “compromised” and “under pressure,” which, he claimed, led to the signing of the recently finalised India-United States trade agreement.

India and the US concluded the trade deal on Monday following a telephonic conversation between Prime Minister Modi and US President Donald Trump. Under the agreement, the United States has reduced tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent, while India has agreed to ease certain trade and market access barriers for American products.

Speaking to reporters in the Parliament complex, Rahul Gandhi alleged that the agreement had been signed not in India’s interest but due to external pressure on the Prime Minister. “Modiji is scared. Everyone saw that the trade deal was on hold for four months and nothing moved. Suddenly, yesterday evening, Narendra Modi signed the trade deal. For reasons we don’t know, there is pressure on Narendra Modi ji,” Gandhi said.

He further claimed that the Prime Minister’s public image was artificially constructed and vulnerable. “The balloon of image that he has created with thousands of crores can burst very soon,” the Congress leader remarked, suggesting that the deal reflected weakness rather than strength in leadership.

Gandhi’s remarks came amid continued disruption in the Lok Sabha, where he attempted for the second consecutive day to raise the issue of the India-China military standoff in eastern Ladakh. He repeatedly referred to a magazine article discussing the 2020 confrontation, which he said drew from an “unpublished book” of former Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane (Retd.). However, the Chair ruled that parliamentary procedure does not allow references to newspaper or magazine reports and directed the Leader of Opposition to rely only on “authentic sources.”

Dismissing the procedural objections, Gandhi alleged that the real issue was being deliberately sidelined. “The issue is not Naravane’s statement. That is just a sideshow. The main thing is that the Prime Minister is compromised. Who did it and how it was done must be understood by the public,” he said, claiming that he was unfairly prevented from speaking during the debate on the President’s Address.

Escalating his criticism, Gandhi accused the Prime Minister of betraying the country’s interests through the trade agreement. “Indians should understand that Narendra Modi has sold your hard work, your sweat and your blood. He has sold the entire nation because he is compromised. That is why I was not allowed to speak. Narendra Modiji is scared,” he alleged.

Reiterating his charge, Gandhi said the country needed to recognise the pressure under which the Prime Minister was functioning. “Narendra Modi is under pressure. The nation must understand that the Prime Minister is compromised,” he asserted.

The India-US trade deal has drawn widespread criticism from opposition parties, which have described it as disproportionately favouring American interests at the cost of Indian industry, farmers and small traders. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also launched a scathing attack on the Prime Minister through a series of posts on his official X account.

Ramesh accused Modi of yielding to pressure from President Trump across several strategic and economic decisions related to bilateral ties. He pointed to Trump’s public statements announcing the trade deal and claimed that the agreement was presented as being done “on Modi’s request,” raising questions about India’s negotiating position.

Referring to reports that India may reduce tariffs and non-tariff barriers substantially, Ramesh warned that the deal could effectively open Indian markets to American goods. “Trump says India will reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers to zero. This suggests India has agreed to completely open its market to the US,” he wrote, cautioning that such a move would severely impact Indian industry, traders and farmers.

Congress General Secretary and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also criticised the agreement, alleging that it compromises the interests of Indian farmers. In a message shared on social media, she cited statements from the US side highlighting benefits for American farmers.

“The United States has said that American farmers’ products will now be sold in the Indian market, bringing money to rural America. Through this deal, Trump has ensured benefits for American farmers,” Priyanka Gandhi said.

She questioned whether the Modi government was preparing to fully open India’s agricultural sector to American companies. “India’s millions of farmers want to know the terms of this trade agreement. Will Indian farmers be pushed into direct competition with American corporations? Has a compromise been made on their interests?” she asked, demanding immediate clarification.

Echoing these concerns, Jairam Ramesh urged the government to take Parliament and the public into confidence. He questioned how the security and interests of Indian farmers had been safeguarded and insisted that the full details of the agreement be placed before the nation.

As political tempers rise, the India-US trade deal is set to remain a flashpoint in Parliament, with the opposition demanding transparency and accountability from the Modi government over what it calls a far-reaching and potentially damaging economic pact.