New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives to attend the NDA Parliamentary Party meeting, at Parliament premises in New Delhi. (PTI Photo/Salman Ali)(PTI02_03_2026_000033A)
NEW DELHI: Addressing a meeting of the BJP-led NDA parliamentary party on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed the India–US trade deal a “big decision” that would “benefit everyone in the country.”The NDA coalition partners congratulated PM Modi on the trade agreements with the European Union, signed on January 27, and the United States, announced by President Donald Trump on Monday, saying the deals would boost Indian manufacturers, exporters, and entrepreneurs.Briefing the media on the prime minister’s remarks, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said PM Modi told the ruling coalition that its electoral successes were driven by “people-friendly policies” and “sustained hard work.”Quoting PM Modi, Rijiju noted that the NDA was “winning one after another elections due to its good work. Elections can’t be won without being on the ground. We have to be on the ground and do good work for the welfare of the people.”He added that the prime minister also urged the NDA MPs not to get “complacent” after victories in various polls, including local body elections, but to continue with the good work.Rijiju further stated that the PM gave “broad guidelines” to the NDA MPs in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to carry forward their parliamentary responsibilities and welfare work. MPs from the BJP, TDP, JD(U), LJP (R), Shiv Sena, JD(S), and other constituents of the alliance were present at the meeting.India and the United States have agreed to a trade deal under which Washington will reduce the reciprocal tariff on Indian goods to 18% from a total of 50%.The India-US trade dealThe deal was announced following a telephonic conversation between PM Modi and President Trump, after which the US leader took to his Truth Social platform to declare that the agreement would take effect “immediately.”While the finer details are yet to be disclosed, Trump noted that Washington would levy a reduced reciprocal tariff, cutting it from 25% to 18%. New Delhi, he added, would bring down its tariffs and non-tariff barriers against the United States to zero.He further claimed that India has committed not to buy oil from Russia – half of the 50% tariffs on India were because of its purchase of Russian oil.Also Read | India-US deal: Russia contradicts Trump, says New Delhi has not said it will halt oil purchasesTrump also claimed that India would now buy “much more oil” from the United States and, potentially, Venezuela — a Latin American nation where US forces carried out a military operation on January 3 that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife.(With PTI inputs)
