PM will bow down to Trump’s tariff deadline: Rahul

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will easily bow down to US President Donald Trump’s tariff deadline, citing a comment by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. Commerce and Industry Minister Goyal had said on Friday that India does not enter into any trade agreement based on deadlines and will accept the proposed trade agreement with the US only when it is fully finalised, properly concluded and in the national interest. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi posted on ‘X’ regarding his statement, “Piyush Goyal can beat his chest as much as he wants, mark my words, Modi will easily bow down to Trump’s tariff deadline.” US President Trump imposed an additional retaliatory duty of 26 per cent on products imported from India on April 2. However, a few days later it was postponed for 90 days i.e. till July 9. Meanwhile, the 10 per cent basic duty imposed by the US is still in force. India and the US are trying to finalise an interim trade agreement before the upcoming deadline of July 9. For this, several rounds of talks have been held at the level of officials and ministers of both sides.