Oppn stages walkout demanding debate on Indo-US trade deal

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh raised the issue of the Indo-US trade deal soon after the zero hour ended and alleged that the information about the deal was being received from Washington instead.

Members of several opposition parties on Tuesday staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha while raising the issue of the Indo-US trade deal and demanding a discussion on it.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh raised the issue of the Indo-US trade deal soon after the zero hour ended and alleged that the information about the deal was being received from Washington instead.

As opposition members started protesting in the house, Leader of the House J P Nadda said the US President informed about the reduction in tariffs on Indian goods through a post on social media and also spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Nadda alleged that the Opposition's frustration was coming out, and it had started seeing bad even in good things.

"I want to assure the house that the government is ready to discuss the Indo-US trade deal and provide all minute details of the deal. The government will come out with a suo motu statement on the trade deal.

"But this methodology is fatal for democracy and is the irresponsible behaviour of the Indian National Congress and the INDI alliance," Nadda said.

Govt to issue suo moto statement on Indo-US trade deal

The opposition members continued raising slogans alleging that the interests of the country were being bartered, Chairman C P Radhakrishnan said, when the government is making a statement, and they should listen.

He said the government is ready to discuss, but the opposition members are creating an uproar.

Opposition members were on their feet, raising slogans against the government, as they moved towards the front row.

Nadda said the government will come out with a suo motu statement today itself, and the government is ready to.

"It is your frustration which is speaking. We are ready," he said.

"Their interest is only in creating politics out of everything, and we saw an example of that just now...They are trying to create an atmosphere in the country as if the government is avoiding a discussion.

"You are an issueless party now. You have got no issues. This is very irresponsible behaviour, and in a way this is anti-national behaviour. It is anti-national," he said, adding that their frustration is being seen at every turn.

Cong accuses Modi of surrendering to US

Earlier, Jairam Ramesh on social media post said the text of both the EU and US trade deals must be laid on the table of both Houses and debated, "especially since the US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has issued a statement claiming that India has liberalised agricultural imports from the US".

He said that from the information President Donald Trump has provided, it is abundantly clear that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "completely surrendered".

He said that almost exactly a year ago, Prime Minister Modi landed at the White House to greet President Trump on his re-election.

"His trademark huglomacy was on full display. India-US relations never appeared brighter. Negotiations for a trade deal started immediately thereafter.But ever since President Trump made the first announcement of the halt to Operation Sindoor on the evening of May 10, 2025 things began to go downhill," Ramesh said on X.

Subsequently, President Trump embraced Pakistan and Field Marshal Asim Munir enthusiastically, "exposing the hollowness of Mr. Modi's huglomacy", he said.

Ramesh pointed out that President Trump announced the trade deal very late last night Indian time.

"From the information President Trump has provided, it is abundantly clear that Prime Minister Modi has - like he did on May 10, 2025 - completely surrendered. He has most definitely appeased President Trump. India stands diminished by this unfortunate sequence of events," he claimed.

All opposition members, except the TMC, later staged a walkout in protest.

TMC member Saket Gokhale was sitting in the house and left shortly after the walkout.

TMC said it staged a separate walkout on the treatment of SIR-affected families by the Delhi police.