A new draft resolution from the Congress party, being discussed in Ahmedabad, talks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to Washington in February. It mentions that PM Modi felt embarrassed when former US President Donald Trump called India a “tariff abuser” while standing right next to him. Congress accuses the government of putting personal fame and unfair interests above the country’s needs.
The Congress party supports good relations with the US but insists these shouldn’t harm India’s best interests. During Modi and Trump’s meeting, they agreed to start talks on an important trade deal, even after Trump criticized how India treats American businesses and announced new tariffs.
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal assured that India will look after its interests while making trade deals with other countries. This comes as the US has imposed an extra 26% tax on some Indian exports.
The draft warns that lowering taxes on imports further could hurt farmers and India’s growing auto and medicine industries. It also highlights the mistreatment of Indian migrants in the US, stating they were deported in a cruel manner. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar faced criticism for justifying this treatment in Parliament.
The Congress draft expresses concern over India’s relations with neighboring countries and claims that the ruling party, BJP, has shown weak leadership in foreign policy. It says that previous Congress governments raised India’s global standing and had a thoughtful approach to foreign relations.
Additionally, the draft claims the current government has failed to address issues with China, such as the loss of Indian land in Ladakh. It raises alarms about China building a massive dam on the Brahmaputra River, which could impact northeastern states like Assam.
The draft also mentions the risk of “radical elements” in Bangladesh creating an unsafe environment for religious minorities. It criticizes the Indian government for staying silent on the ongoing violence in the Palestine-Israel conflict, calling it a failure to uphold long-standing diplomatic values.
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