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NEW DELHI: Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Sunday questioned the Center on not waiting for the US Supreme Court’s ruling on Trump’s tariffs before approving the framework of a trade deal with Washington.In a 6-3 decision, the US court ruled that the administration exceeded its authority by using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) of 1977 to impose broad tariffs on imports.
Jairam Ramesh questions Modi government on US trade deal, tariffs and Russian oil claims
However, US President Donald Trump later raised global tariffs to the “fully permissible, legally tested 15 percent” level, effective immediately.Ramesh said the Union government could have waited for the court’s decision instead of agreeing to the framework of the trade deal.
He noted that India could have been in a stronger position to negotiate after the ruling.“This is the US Supreme Court’s calendar, which it decided and issued months ago,” he wrote in a post on X. “It clearly marks February 20 as a no-argument day, that is, the day when arguments will not be heard and a ruling can be rendered. The court had already heard arguments on the tariffs on November 5, 2025, and it was known that the justices were not expected to favorably favor President Trump’s tariffs.”
So why didn’t India wait until February 20 to sign the trade deal? What desperate reason to do this on February 2, 2026?
Further criticizing the deal, he alleged that the framework endangers the interests of Indian farmers. “If the Prime Minister had not felt the need to distract the attention of the media, Parliament and the people by announcing this trade deal and compromising the interests of millions of our farmers, India would be in a much stronger negotiating position now,” he said.
The government said on Saturday that it was studying the repercussions of the US Supreme Court’s ruling on customs duties and the steps announced by the Trump administration. Meanwhile, ANI sources in the Commerce Ministry said that the proposed meeting of chief negotiators from India and the US in Washington DC to finalize discussions on the trade deal will be rescheduled.“Both sides believe that the proposed visit of the chief Indian negotiator and the team will be scheduled after each side has sufficient time to evaluate the latest developments and their ramifications. The meeting will be rescheduled at a date convenient for both parties,” the sources said.
