Rahul Gandhi vs Piyush Goyal: 'Fake Narrative' Vs 'Surrender Deal' Clash Over India-US Trade Agreement

New Delhi: Congress MP and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi met representatives of 17 major farmer unions at his Parliament office. The farmers expressed concerns that the India-US interim trade deal could harm producers of corn, soybean, cotton, fruits, and nuts. They urged Gandhi to support a nationwide movement to resist the agreement, warning of risks to farmers’ incomes and livelihoods.

BJP’s Counterattack

The BJP dismissed the meeting as “stage-managed” and “artificial.” Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal accused Gandhi of spreading “fake” and “fabricated” claims. In a video statement, Goyal said the meeting was designed to mislead hardworking farmers and provoke sentiment against government policy.

"Mr Rahul Gandhi has once again rolled out a stage-managed, most artificial and fake narrative. This time, he is shooting from the shoulders of a few Congress party activists, who are pretending to be farmer leaders - in a completely artificial, and baseless conversation," Goyal was heard speaking in a video posted on X.

"Let me now do a reality check on Rahul ji's fakery and expose him and his friends for misguiding our innocent, hardworking annadatas, whose interests have been fully protected by the Modi government in the India-US trade deal," he said.

He clarified that commodities such as soyameal and corn had not been given concessions under the deal. On apples, he explained that imports would be restricted by quotas lower than current levels, with a minimum import price of 80 rupees per kilogram plus a duty of 25 rupees per kilogram.

Rahul Gandhi’s Rebuttal

Responding to Goyal’s remarks, Gandhi released a video on X, calling the trade deal a “surrender<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="hi" dir="ltr">Farzi Rahul Gandhi… <a href="https://t.co/lMMWhj7kKm">pic.twitter.com/lMMWhj7kKm</a></p>&mdash; Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) <a href="https://twitter.com/PiyushGoyal/status/2022366226698444830?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. He argued that Indian garments face an 18 percent tariff in the United States, while Bangladesh enjoys zero percent tariffs on garment exports provided it imports American cotton.

"Piyush Goyal ji, dont lie..." Rahul hit back in a video and adding that the trade deal is a "surrender" as it "could inflict deep damage" on both cotton farmers and the textile industry in the country.

Gandhi alleged that this framework could devastate domestic cotton producers and weaken India’s textile industry, potentially leading to unemployment and economic distress. He accused the government of hiding crucial details from the public and failing to safeguard national interests.

The Trade Deal 

The India-US Interim Agreement, announced last week, reduces tariffs on a wide range of American industrial and agricultural products entering India. In return, the US applies reciprocal tariffs on selected Indian goods including textiles, apparel, leather, footwear, plastics, and chemicals.

The deal also includes commitments on digital trade, technology cooperation, and supply chain resilience. Officials say it is intended as a framework for a broader bilateral trade pact between the two countries.

Read More: 'He's Misleading Our Farmers', Piyush Goyal Roasts Rahul On Hurting Indian Farmers' Sentiments