Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he said that trade talks between India and the United States would help “unlock the limitless potential” of the partnership. Kejriwal said that to “please Trump,” cotton farmers across the country were being put at stake.PM Modi’s remarks came after US President Donald Trump called for addressing “trade barriers” between the two nations.In a post shared on X, questioning the nature of the ongoing negotiations between India and the US, Kejriwal wrote, “What kind of negotiation is going on between the two countries? Only one-sided talks? Keeping our farmers, traders, and the employment of youth on the line, the Indian market is being completely opened up for the Americans. If the entire Indian market comes under the control of the Americans, where will our people go?”He further said that such remarks amount to a “surrender” before the United States. “Such a surrender in front of Trump is not only fatal for the Indian economy but also an insult to 1.4 billion Indians,” Kejriwal added.Kejriwal further urged the Prime Minister not to weaken and to protect the honour of the nation.Kejriwal’s remarks came amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s X post on Wednesday, in which he described New Delhi and Washington as “natural partners” and said he was confident about the progress of the negotiations. The PM also expressed his willingness to speak to Trump.”India and the US are close friends and natural partners. I am confident that our trade negotiations will pave the way for unlocking the limitless potential of the India-US partnership. Our teams are working to conclude these discussions at the earliest. I am also looking forward to speaking with President Trump. We will work together to secure a brighter, more prosperous future for both our people,” PM Modi said in the X post.This comes following a statement by Trump on Tuesday (local time) via Truth Social, where he expressed enthusiasm about continuing negotiations to tackle trade barriers between the two nations. He also expressed confidence in reaching a “successful conclusion” and looked forward to speaking with PM Modi in the upcoming weeks.”I am pleased to announce that India and the United States of America are continuing negotiations to address the Trade Barriers between our two Nations. I look forward to speaking with my very good friend, Prime Minister Modi, in the upcoming weeks. I feel certain that there will be no difficulty in coming to a successful conclusion for both of our Great Countries!” Trump stated in his post.Trump’s remark comes days after he called the India-US ties a “very special relationship” and affirmed that he and PM Modi would always be friends, asserting that there is “nothing to worry about”.New Delhi is facing global uncertainties due to heightened economic tensions following the US imposition of a 50 per cent tariff on Indian imports, including an additional 25 per cent due to its purchase of Russian crude oil, which, according to Washington, fuels Moscow’s efforts in its conflict with Ukraine.
