During the Lok Sabha Budget discussion, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi criticized the government over the India-US trade deal. BJP spokesperson Anil Baluni dismissed these claims as based on an outdated US fact sheet, accusing Gandhi of selective reading and misrepresentation.
During the Lok Sabha Budget discussion on February 11, 2026, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi leveled allegations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the India-US trade deal. The BJP accused the Congress leader of misleading Parliament based on an “older version” of a US government fact sheet.
BJP national media head and spokesperson Anil Baluni alleged on X that Rahul “did not merely critique the document” but engaged in a “selective reading of it” to deliberately misrepresent the Budget. “He misquoted it, misread it, and then built an argument on that distortion. Parliament deserves scrutiny grounded in facts, not selective readings and convenient misinterpretations,” Baluni said.
Specifically, Gandhi claimed Indian data is being sold to the US, which Baluni called “ridiculously false.” The Budget proposes a tax break for companies setting up data centres in India until 2047, furthering data localisation goals.
On Gandhi's assertion that the Budget lacks proposals to fortify supply chains, Baluni called it “incorrect.” The document includes initiatives for rare earths, a new semiconductor mission focusing on all levels of the value chain, and critical mineral corridors through Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
Gandhi stated that India was opening its farming sector by allowing imports of pulses, but Baluni noted the updated US fact sheet carries no mention of pulses. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has repeatedly stated that India is not opening the farming and dairy sector to the US, a stance maintained during the Free Trade Agreement with the European Union.
Baluni clarified that Gandhi’s claim on a $500 billion purchase commitment relies on an older fact sheet. The updated position frames it as an intention by India to purchase goods worth up to $500 billion over coming years, not a binding obligation.
Addressing energy security, Baluni highlighted India's strategic autonomy despite strong pressure from the Biden administration in 2022 to stop buying Russian oil. Imports from Russia rose from about 0.1 million barrels per day to nearly 2 million barrels per day in 2023.
Close to 45% of India’s exports to the US, including pharmaceuticals, electronic equipment, and gems and stones, are set to be taxed at very low tariffs, even zero per cent.
