Govt. must take stakeholders and political parties into confidence on U.S. tariffs, says Congress

Congress leader Anand Sharma briefs the media, at party HQ in New Delhi on April 5, 2025
| Photo Credit: ANI

The Congress on Saturday (April 5, 2025) urged the Narendra Modi government to take political parties and stakeholders into confidence before formulating a response to the reciprocal tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.

Addressing a press conference, former Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Anand Sharma termed the imposition of tariffs by the U.S. “unfortunate” and “unilateral”, and said national interests should be kept foremost while formulating India’s strategy.

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Mr. Sharma suggested the government hold consultations with all stakeholders to protect their interests, and constitute a task force of experts to evolve steps to deal with the issue, and monitor trade.

“It is a matter of grave concern. The unilateral imposition of high tariffs by U.S. President Trump has created massive disruption. This is unprecedented. It threatens to create a major upheaval in all economies, big or small, whether rich and developed countries, or the developing and poor countries,” Mr. Sharma said.

He said Mr. Trump’s decision had also “turned on its head” the multilateral trade system, and delivered a body blow to the global economy, trade, and the World Trade Organization, the only body with the responsibility to conduct a rule-based global trade.

Stating that there could not be trade without a rule-based system, Mr. Sharma said that the Trump administration’s move was in violation of all international agreements, rules and principles.

“The Government of India should talk to all stakeholders, be it businessmen, farmers and the agri sector, including poultry and dairy, [and] textile sector. We demand that the government constitutes a national task force with people having experience in international trade,” the Congress leader said, adding that the Centre should also have a monitoring mechanism to observe on which side trade was moving.

The former Commerce Minister said that India’s response should be measured and not taken in haste. He added that India should not accept any trade agreement without keeping the services sector in focus.

“We hope the government will put in place a strategy. But what will be the strategy — there should be a national consensus on it. After 75 years, we are seeing that the entire global trade system has been wrecked. Therefore, the leaders of all political parties should be taken into confidence by the government on its strategy. There should be stakeholders’ negotiations too,” Mr. Sharma said.

The Congress leader also suggested that India must prioritise the conclusion of ongoing negotiations for Free Trade Agreements with the EU and the U.K., and look at “re-energising the entire continent of Africa, Latin America, and the countries of the Gulf”.