“Not a deal but dheel’: Akhilesh Yadav attacks India–US trade agreement in Lok Sabha

Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday launched a blistering attack on the Centre during the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament, slamming the recently announced India–US trade agreement as “unfair, one-sided” and damaging to Indian farmers, domestic industries and the country’s goal of economic self-reliance.

“The deal with the US is not a ‘deal’ but a ‘dheel’ (relaxation). We have handed over our entire market to them. Sanatanis will have to think about how their fast will continue to be ‘Sanatani’. If dairy products come from there, how will Sanatanis and Indians fast? It is a matter of concern. Where are the BJP allies who raised the slogans of Swadeshi? The nation wants to know about the deal,” said the Samajwadi Party chief questioning the government’s priorities and directly linked the agreement to the Union Budget, arguing that the framework favoured the United States at India’s expense.

At the heart of Yadav’s economic argument was the question of tariffs. He pointed out that under the agreement, several American goods could enter the Indian market at zero duty, while Indian exports continue to face tariffs of up to 18 per cent in the United States. Such an imbalance, he argued, weakens India’s bargaining position in international trade and undercuts domestic producers.

Raising concerns about agriculture, Yadav asked, “If all crops are going to come from the US, what will our farmers grow?” He warned that cheaper imports could severely affect farmers’ livelihoods and disrupt rural economies.

The Kannauj MP further accused the government of contradicting its own slogans of Swadeshi and Atmanirbhar Bharat, arguing that the agreement undermines the very idea of self-reliance. He questioned how these slogans could retain credibility if Indian markets were opened to foreign products with minimal safeguards.

The tariff question dominated much of the wider Opposition attack. Several leaders echoed Yadav’s claim that while India has agreed to significantly reduce or remove duties on select American goods, many Indian agricultural and manufactured products continue to face higher average tariff barriers in the US, estimated by the Opposition at around 18 per cent. Yadav cited this figure to argue that the agreement lacks reciprocity.

The trade framework, reached on February 6, 2026, following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, has been described by the government as a historic “reset” in bilateral relations. The understanding includes India lowering tariffs on certain goods to around 18 per cent, alongside a reported US purchase commitment of $500 billion, aimed at easing trade tensions and providing certainty to businesses.

The agreement has nevertheless triggered a political storm at home. Defending the deal, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said Prime Minister Modi has consistently championed the interests of farmers and the dairy sector. He maintained that sensitive areas of the economy, particularly agriculture and dairy, have been adequately protected under the India–US trade arrangement. Despite the government’s assurances, the Opposition has signalled that it will continue to press for greater transparency and a fuller debate, keeping the trade deal firmly in the political spotlight during the Budget Session.​