India’s Congress Criticizes Modi Government Over Proposed $500 Billion US Import Deal

India’s opposition party, the Indian National Congress, has sharply criticized the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi following remarks by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that India is “committed” to purchasing $500 billion worth of American goods over the next five years.

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh condemned the proposed arrangement in a post on X, questioning why India had not rejected what he described as an “anti-people and dangerous trade agreement,” as some other countries had done.

Ramesh pointed out that the Indian rupee has lost 12 percent of its value against the US dollar over the past year and raised concerns that increased imports from the United States could lead to further depreciation of the currency.

He also mocked Prime Minister Modi as being “compromising” and accused him of making excessive efforts to please US President Donald Trump.

According to Ramesh and several other opposition leaders, the proposed $500 billion import commitment directly contradicts India’s “Make in India” initiative and the country’s broader self-reliance goals.

Ramesh further alleged that major policy decisions — ranging from the ceasefire linked to “Operation Sindhur” to India’s oil and gas imports from Russia and the India-US trade agreement — were effectively being dictated from Washington, D.C.

He claimed that Prime Minister Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had “abdicated responsibility” for shaping India’s foreign policy.

Rubio, currently on a four-day visit to India, attended the inauguration ceremony of the new US Embassy Support Center Annex building in New Delhi on Saturday.