"Needs explicit answer from govt": Congress's Manish Tewari attacks Centre after Trump claims India offered zero tariff deal to US

New Delhi [India], May 15 (ANI): After United States President Donald Trump claimed that India had offered the US a Zero-tariff deal on a reciprocal basis, Congress MP Manish Tewari questioned BJP-led central government's trade policy and demanded an explicit answer from the government.
In a social media post on X, Tewari said, "Is it a fact that India has offered a Zero Tariff deal to the United States? That needs an explicit answer from the Government?"

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has also raised questions on Trump's claims. He further questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on this issue.

"The Commerce Minister is in Washington DC and President Trump has made yet another grand announcement from Doha. There is total chuppi from our PM. What has he agreed to and what linkage is there between this and the stoppage of Operation Sindoor? Ramesh posted on X.

Earlier today, US President Donald Trump claimed that India offered a deal with "basically zero tariffs" on US goods, but didn't provide specifics.
"They have offered us a deal where we're basically they're willing to charge us no tariff literally," President Trump said while addressing a news conference in Doha.
The US had imposed a 26% reciprocal tariff on India, which was later suspended for 90 days as negotiations showed signs of progress.
India has proposed eliminating tariffs on a limited volume of US steel, auto components, and pharmaceuticals as part of a reciprocal "zero-for-zero" offer.
Trump also mentioned that he encouraged Apple CEO Tim Cook to raise production in the US rather than expanding manufacturing in India.
"I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday. I said to him, my friend, I am treating you very good. You are coming up with USD 500 billion, but now I hear you are building all over India. I don't want you building in India. You can build in India, if you want to take care of India because India is one of the highest tariff nations in the world, so it is very hard to sell in India," Trump said.
Earlier, it was reported that Apple is set to transition all production of iPhones destined for the US market to India. Apple's decision to ramp up its production in India aligns with its broader goal of diversifying manufacturing operations away from China.
Meanwhile, India's Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is going to the US on May 16 to commence advanced trade talks, which have been going on for some time at the official level.
This visit follows US Vice President JD Vance's trip to New Delhi in April in an effort to secure a bilateral trade deal with the US.
On May 12, US President Donald Trump claimed that his administration helped broker an immediate ceasefire between India and Pakistan and told them that the US wants to increase trade with both. (ANI)