New Delhi — Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh demanded the Indian government immediately pause the India-U.S. interim trade agreement. He spoke to reporters in the capital on Saturday, hours after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that Trump exceeded his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act by imposing reciprocal tariffs worldwide.

“The U.S. Supreme Court decision is very significant,” Ramesh said. “Our government must keep this trade agreement on hold.” He insisted Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly declare that India will review its policy, halt any import liberalization and protect farmers’ livelihoods until clarifications emerge.

Ramesh highlighted concessions in the deal that would reduce or eliminate tariffs on key U.S. farm exports. Indian farmers, he argued, face jeopardy from cheaper American cotton, soybeans and fruits flooding the market. The agreement, announced by Trump on February 2, commits India to importing $500 billion in U.S. goods over five years at zero tariffs, according to Ramesh.

He questioned Modi’s rush to seal the deal. “Why was the prime minister in such a hurry?” Ramesh asked. He linked the timing to Modi’s “panic” over Rahul Gandhi’s parliamentary speech that day, which cited former Army Chief Gen. M.M. Naravane’s revelations about the prime minister’s handling of Chinese border aggression.

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal knew a Supreme Court verdict loomed since December, Ramesh added. Many expected the court to strike down the tariffs. Yet the government pressed ahead, he said, even as the 10% tariffs—framed as a win over prior 18% rates—actually rose from a baseline 3.5% and last only 150 days under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974.

Trump stated post-ruling that the India deal remains unchanged. Ramesh demanded Modi reject that outright. “Does Modi agree with Trump that the trade agreement with India still holds?” he pressed. The government has offered no response.

Fellow Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala echoed the call on X, formerly Twitter. He questioned the sustainability of Trump’s new 10% tariffs against India and whether they uphold the deal, opposed by farmers, small businesses, energy experts and economists. Surjewala urged the government to exit the “one-sided” pact, resume purchases of ed Russian and Iranian oil for energy security, retain non-tariff barriers like farm subsidies, block genetically modified crop imports to preserve seed purity and abandon the $500 billion U.S. goods pledge.

Rahul Gandhi accused Modi of betrayal, claiming the deal exposes the prime minister as “compromised.” The Supreme Court setback derails a core Trump second-term economic plank. Justices ruled the tariffs unconstitutional, voiding duties on imports from multiple nations.

Congress positioned the demands amid broader trade tensions. The interim framework, meant as a step toward fuller ties, now hangs in limbo. Officials have stayed silent as opposition pressure mounts ahead of potential renegotiations.