India-US Trade Deal: Rahul Gandhi attempting to mislead country, says Piyush Goyal

India-US Trade Deal: Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal on Tuesday launched a brutal attack on Congress MP and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on the India-US trade deal, accusing him of harbouring a negative mindset and attempting to mislead the country.

Addressing a press conference in the national capital, Goyal said Rahul Gandhi was uncomfortable with India’s growth and progress and was repeatedly questioning the country’s institutions. “It is unfortunate that Rahul Gandhi, driven by a negative mindset, is trying to mislead and confuse the country. I strongly condemn his attempts to deceive people through lies. He has no interest in India’s progress, even as the country moves ahead as the world’s fastest-growing major economy,” he said.

'Why is Rahul Gandhi so rattled?': Piyush Goyal

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Taking a swipe in, Goyal questioned the Congress leader’s intent, saying, “why is Rahul Gandhi so rattled?" Questioning Gandhi’s opposition to the trade deal, Goyal asked, “What exactly is troubling Rahul Gandhi about this? Does Rahul Gandhi hate the country’s progress? Is he unhappy with our sisters and our youth? Is he unable to accept their bright future?”

“He must answer the people of the country about what he really wants behind this negative mindset. I completely condemn Rahul Gandhi and all leaders of his party and allied parties who are committing the sin of spreading such petty and negative thinking,” he added.

Also Read: Trump, PM Modi agree to trade deal; POTUS lowers reciprocal tariff to 18%—What both leaders say

'Congress weakened economy, fueled inflation': Goyal

Drawing a comparison with the UPA years, the minister added, “During UPA rule, the Congress weakened the economy, fueled inflation, and stalled development. If given a chance, they would push India back to that phase again.”

“I do not believe a single person or citizen of India can associate themselves with such a misleading mindset. Rahul Gandhi represents negative thinking,” Goyal said. He further accused opposition leaders of ignoring India’s growth trajectory and opportunities for youth and industry.

“Leaders aligned with him—whether from the DMK, the Trinamool Congress, or the Samajwadi Party—seem to be ignoring India’s bright future, the new opportunities emerging for our youth, and the rapid progress of our industry,” he said.

Goyal on farmers' welfare and trade negotiations

Speaking at the press conference, Goyal hailed the agreement as the best deal India has received so far, saying it sends positive signals for the country’s future. He said India’s negotiating teams remained in continuous dialogue with US officials and ministers for months to finalise the pact.

“This achievement has come under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I would like to thank him once again for his guidance and for handling this in the interest of the nation and the people. The entire country knows how the Prime Minister consistently cares for the welfare of farmers and those involved in animal husbandry and the dairy sector,” Goyal said. Referring to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), Goyal said the Congress had pushed India towards the trade bloc in 2011, while Rahul Gandhi made a serious mistake by negotiating an FTA with China. He said Prime Minister Modi’s decision to keep India out of the RCEP protected national interests and brought relief across the country.

#WATCH | Delhi: On the India-US trade agreement, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, says, "...In the US trade deal, the sensitive sectors of India's economy, particularly agriculture and dairy, have been protected. We have seen reports from across the country;… pic.twitter.com/hItKXz6m6u

— ANI (@ANI) February 3, 2026

The trade deal will benefit labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, leather, seafood, and gems and jewellery by opening up significant export opportunities in the US market. The engineering goods sector, including auto components and other products, will also benefit from the agreement, he added. Goyal further said the MSME sector, which generates the highest number of jobs in the economy, would gain from the deal as reduced tariffs would make exports more competitive.

He said PM Modi had clinched the agreement, which had been stuck in prolonged negotiations at the official and ministerial levels without yielding results.

Goyal added that finalising the trade deal was essential as Indian exports of labour-intensive products such as seafood and textiles to the US had been hit by the higher punitive tariff of 50 per cent imposed by the Trump administration.

We will shortly issue joint statement: Goyal on India-US trade deal details

In his concluding remarks, he said that details of the agreement would be shared once the final understanding is inked, the joint statement is finalised, and all technical processes are completed.

“Indians are celebrating a trade deal that is in the final stages of detailing between the negotiating teams of both countries. A joint statement by India and the United States will be issued shortly along with the details of the agreement. Once the final understanding is inked, the joint statement is finalised, and the technical processes are completed, the full details will be shared,” he said.

#WATCH | Delhi: Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, says, "Indians are celebrating a trade deal which is under the final stages of detailing between the negotiating teams of both countries. We will shortly be issuing a joint statement by both countries along… pic.twitter.com/TQMatUvATs

— ANI (@ANI) February 3, 2026

India-US trade pact

On Monday, after months of stalwart talks, Trump, taking to his social media platform Truth Social, announced a trade deal slashing tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from the punitive 50 per cent, claiming that India would now buy oil from the US and potentially Venezuela.

Following Trump’s post, Prime Minister Modi also took to his official handle on X, thanking the US president on behalf of the 1.4 billion people of India for the “wonderful announcement”.

Wonderful to speak with my dear friend President Trump today. Delighted that Made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18%. Big thanks to President Trump on behalf of the 1.4 billion people of India for this wonderful announcement.

When two large economies and the…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 2, 2026

“When two large economies and the world’s largest democracies work together, it benefits our people and unlocks immense opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation,” PM Modi noted in his post on X. “President Trump’s leadership is vital for global peace, stability and prosperity. India fully supports his efforts for peace. I look forward to working closely with him to take our partnership to unprecedented heights,” he wrote.