New Delhi, Feb 3 (NationPress) Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, on Tuesday, accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being compromised and under pressure, asserting that this is the underlying reason for the signing of the India-US trade agreement.

The trade deal between India and the United States was finalized on Monday after a phone conversation between Prime Minister Modi and US President Donald Trump.

As part of the agreement, tariffs imposed by the US on Indian products were reduced to 18 percent, while India has committed to relaxing certain trade barriers for American goods.

While addressing reporters on the Parliament grounds, Rahul Gandhi claimed that the Prime Minister was compelled to sign the agreement due to external pressure.

"Modiji is frightened. Everyone observed that the trade deal was stalled for four months; nothing has changed. For some reason, which remains unclear, Narendra Modi signed the trade deal yesterday evening. There is significant pressure on Narendra Modi, and the facade he has created with billions can collapse soon," he stated.

His comments came as he persistently attempted to address the Ladakh standoff issue in the Lok Sabha for the second day in a row.

Gandhi continued to reference a magazine article regarding the 2020 India-China military confrontation, which he claimed was mentioned in an unpublished book by former Army Chief General M.M. Naravane (Retd.). However, the Chair ruled against citing newspaper or magazine reports and urged the Leader of Opposition to reference only authentic sources.

"The issue is not about Naravane's statement; that is a distraction. Both he and I understand this. The core issue is that the Prime Minister is compromised. The public should be aware of who and how this was done. For the first time, a Leader of Opposition was not permitted to speak during the Presidential address," Gandhi alleged.

Further commenting on the trade agreement, Gandhi emphasized the need for citizens to comprehend the implications of the pact.

"Indians must recognize that Narendra Modi has sold your hard work, your sweat, and your blood. He sold us because he is compromised. He didn't just betray you but the entire nation, and that is why I was silenced. Narendra Modi is afraid," he remarked.

"Narendra Modi is under pressure... The country needs to realize that the Prime Minister is compromised," he concluded.

The trade agreement has faced backlash from opposition parties, who argue that it disproportionately favors the US and does not serve India's interests.

Previously, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also criticized Prime Minister Modi via his official X account, accusing him of succumbing to pressure from Donald Trump in various policy decisions affecting India-US relations.

In his post on X, Ramesh highlighted what he perceived as Trump's increasing influence over India's strategic and economic choices.

He pointed to the announcement of the proposed India-US trade deal, which involves a reduction in tariffs to 18 percent and a decision by India to "halt" oil purchases from Russia, suggesting that these developments indicate Washington's growing leverage over New Delhi's policy framework.