DMK MP accuses Centre of abject surrender to US

DMK Rajya Sabha member P Wilson on Monday accused the government of “abject surrender” to the US in striking a “one-sided” trade deal and demanded that it discloses the specifics of the pact. Participating in a general discussion on the Union Budget 2026-27 in the Upper House, Wilson alleged that “weaponisation of tariff” by the US would have pressured the Indian government and claimed the trade deal will cause irreparable hardships to India’s domestic manufacturers and farmers. “The entire nation is very concerned about this trade deal with the USA that Capitol Hill is rejoicing, but we are yet to hear about this in detail from Raisina Hill,” he noted. Wilson further said, “…we are very unhappy with the abject surrender to the US. India is a proud nation and civilisation. This weaponisation of tariff should (would) have pressurised the government into submissions.” Asking how India agreed to buy USD 500 billion of American exports in five years, the DMK MP said, “The total US-India, bilateral goods trade was just USD 132.13 billion in 2025. Now you have committed to purchasing (goods worth) 100 billion dollars every year from America. Who consumes this? Which domestic products do the US goods replace?” Citing media reports, he said India is eliminating its reducing tariff on US-made industrial goods, foods and agriculture, but the US will continue with 18 per cent tariff on textiles, leather goods, organic chemicals, goods originating from India. “Is this fair? Why have we agreed to this obviously one-sided trade deal that will cause irreparable hardships to our domestic manufacturers and farmers?” he asked. The impact of US tariff on the textile industry in India, especially Tamil Nadu, is terrible, he noted. Far from compensating them for the loss suffered over the past few decades due to ‘abrupt’ changes in the tariff structure that saw exports being put on hold, Wilson said, adding, “the new trade deal’s uncertainty is adding to this test.” Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ slogan and the lion symbol of ‘Make in India’, he asked, “Has the ferocious lion become a pet cat in front of the US? What happened to our Indian made goods?” He further said, “The Union government has to disclose the specifics (of the US trade deal) to this August House and to the nation so that the farmer, the business owner, the entrepreneur, know how to plan business in the coming years.” Earlier, BJP member Arun Singh defended the government saying the whole world is today turning towards India. From credit rating agencies to global institutions, everyone is applauding India’s schemes, policies and systems, and they are seeing that the country is becoming a global hub. “As a result of that, within a year India has inked six pacts,” he said, citing examples of India’s deals with Oman, New Zealand, the UK, the EU, and the US. “This biggest amongst these deals is the India-US trade deal, which shows India’s power, potential and ability that it is emerging as a global hub,” Singh asserted. @@@