Samajwadi Party's Dimple Yadav questions MEA's role as US announces India-US trade deal

New Delhi [India], February 3 (ANI): Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Dimple Yadav on Tuesday criticised the India-US trade deal, saying that the fact the announcement came from US President Donald Trump instead of the Indian government highlights the Ministry of External Affairs' failure to negotiate the agreement effectively.
The India-US trade deal reduces tariffs on Indian goods in the US to 18 per cent, while Washington has claimed the deal will help it export more agricultural products to New Delhi.
Speaking to ANI, Yadav said, "The announcement did not come from the Government of India, but from US President Trump. The attitude of the US shows that our Ministry of External Affairs is not able to negotiate in the manner that a deal should be done."
Further, Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav also expressed concerns over the trade deal, saying that the agreement appears secretive and may involve hidden agendas, including arms purchases or restrictions on buying oil from Russia.

"There must certainly be some hidden agenda. Maybe it will be about the purchase of arms, maybe about not purchasing oil from Russia...Everything is secret, nothing is open," Yadav said.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad said that while the stance of US President Donald Trump remains uncertain, the India-US trade agreement is a positive step and a relief for the country's economy, adding that its impact depends on India's foreign policy.

"It's unclear what stance Trump will take now, given his behaviour in recent days. But it's good that this has happened. It's a relief for the country's economy... Many things depend on our country's foreign affairs policy," Prasad told ANI.
US President Donald Trump announced a trade deal with India on Monday (local time), months after Washington imposed 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods in August 2025. Unveiled on Trump's social media platform Truth Social, the deal outlines significant tariff cuts and includes claims that India would halt Russian oil purchases.
Earlier, Trump had levied a 50 per cent duty on India, with 25 per cent tied to crude imports from Russia, as administration officials asserted that India's oil buying supported Russia's war efforts. (ANI)