Congress Intensifies Attack on PM Modi After US Court Strikes Down Trump Tariffs

The Congress on Saturday sharpened its criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi following a US Supreme Court ruling that invalidated President Donald Trump’s sweeping global tariff measures, alleging that the India-US interim trade agreement reflects “desperation and surrender” on the part of the government. Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the Prime Minister of being “compromised” and claimed that the recent developments in the United States had laid bare what he termed a flawed and one-sided understanding between New Delhi and Washington. In a post on X, Gandhi suggested that the Prime Minister would be unable to renegotiate the arrangement and would concede ground again if pressured.

Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh argued that had the government delayed finalising the agreement, Indian farmers and the country’s sovereign interests could have been shielded from adverse consequences. Referring to statements made by Trump after the US Supreme Court judgment, Ramesh said the US President reaffirmed his friendship with Modi, confirmed that the bilateral trade framework would continue, and claimed that he had earlier intervened in India’s Operation Sindoor by threatening higher tariffs on Indian exports. Ramesh questioned the circumstances under which the trade deal was announced earlier this year, asking what prompted the Prime Minister to move swiftly and secure a declaration from Washington at the time.

Another senior Congress leader, Randeep Surjewala, raised concerns about the sustainability and legal basis of the revised tariff measures after the US Supreme Court curtailed presidential powers under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. He noted that Trump has since announced a temporary 10 per cent import surcharge under Section 122 of the US Trade Act of 1974, effectively lowering the earlier tariff rate.

Surjewala questioned whether the new tariffs would remain compatible with the India-US trade framework, which he said is facing opposition from farmers, small and medium enterprises, and experts in energy and data security. He also asked whether the government would reconsider commitments related to large-scale imports of American goods, removal of non-tariff barriers in agriculture, and energy procurement policies, including purchases of Russian or Iranian crude to safeguard national energy security.

The US Supreme Court, in a 6-3 ruling authored by Chief Justice John Roberts, held that President Trump had overstepped his authority in imposing broad tariffs on multiple countries, delivering a setback to a key pillar of his economic agenda. Earlier, Washington and New Delhi had announced a framework for an interim trade agreement, under which the US reduced certain punitive tariffs on India and set revised reciprocal tariff rates.

Despite the court verdict, Trump has maintained that the trade arrangement with India remains unchanged, asserting that the revised structure benefits the United States and describing his ties with Modi as strong and cooperative.
The Congress, however, contends that the agreement has placed India at a disadvantage and has called on the government to clarify its position on tariffs, trade obligations and energy policy in light of the evolving situation in the United States.​