Bengaluru, 3 Feb

Karnataka Minister for Electronics Priyank Kharge slammed the India-US trade deal, saying it was nothing but "GST Bachao Utsav”. He noted that while Washington has reduced tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from the previous 25 percent, New Delhi is buying American goods with a 0 per cent tariff.

"The government of India has become a madhouse. It is nothing but the GST Bachao Utsav, which the government celebrated so much. First you implement high GSTs, then you reduce it after eight years, then you celebrate reduction. Similarly, the US tariff has been reduced to 18 per cent, so you are celebrating a reduction while there is zero tariff on US goods," Kharge said.

On X, he termed it as the deal as anti-farmer. US President Donald Trump had announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would buy American farm products at 0 per cent tariffs. India has long limited its imports of agricultural produce through several measures including tariffs to protect local farmers.

This will benefit American farmers first, not Indian farmers, Kharge wrote. “Modi has sacrificedthe interests of Indian farmers. This is indeed a historic trade deal. For America.”

Meanwhile, Minister MB Patil questioned whether Modi indeed made commitments to not to buy Russian oil, which Trump had claimed was a key to sealing the deal.

“It is good for industries that the tariff has been reduced," the Large and Medium Scale Industries said.

Former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said Modi has kept India’s national interests at the centre of the deal, which will “create new opportunities for farmers, MSMEs, innovators, and skilled professionals”.