Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala on Monday has severely criticized the interim trade deal structure, which was announced between the United States and India, claiming that the deal undermines the farmers, energy security as well as national sovereignty of India. In a press conference, Surjewala said, the interests of the country cannot be sold to make trade deals and that the energy and agricultural security of India should not be compromised. He called on a popular discussion of what he termed as a highly unbalanced and lopsided transaction.
The interim framework agreement, which was declared earlier this month enables the duty-free importation of various agricultural products of the US such as processed maize, sorghum, and soybean oil. Surjewala cautioned that these provisions may pose a direct threat to the Indian farmers. When America sells free corn in Indian market, what will half the farmers of India do, he asked, noting the drastic difference between production, 4.3 million metric tonnes of maize in India, and 425 million metric tonnes in the United States.
To the textile and cotton industries, Surjewala has observed that Bangladesh would be given a concession to import the US cotton duty free to produce its garments to export back to the United States, whereas the Indian exports have an import levy of 18%. Who will lose then, in case that cloth is exported at 0% duty in Bangladesh, and in India at 18? The eighteen percent you are going to get, eh? he asked. He also took an issue with India accepting to take in the US cotton at zero duties yet she is a huge exporter and insisted that this may result in a two-fold blow since Bangladesh may switch to non-Indian purchases.
The criticism by Surjewala highlights the increased concerns regarding the overall implications of the deal on the agricultural, textile, and energy industries of India and he urged people to be cautious before the agreement takes effect.
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