Chandigarh, February 19
The Senior Congress leader and Sirsa MP Kumari Selja has expressed serious concern over the issues emerging in the country regarding the proposed India–United States trade agreement, stating that the primary objective of any international agreement must be the protection of national interest, farmers’ welfare, energy security and digital sovereignty.
In a statement released to the media, Selja said trade agreements are instruments of economic progress, but they cannot be accepted at the cost of national sovereignty or public interest. Referring to various provisions of the proposed agreement, she said that several important questions have arisen concerning farmers, agricultural markets, energy import arrangements and data security. She urged the central government to present complete facts before the country with full transparency so that farmers, industries and citizens do not face uncertainty. Highlighting the agricultural sector, Kumari Selja said that allowing large-scale duty-free imports could adversely impact Indian farmers producing maize, sorghum, soybean and cotton. Kumari Selja said that the government must clearly explain what concrete safeguards have been incorporated to protect farmers’ income and domestic markets.
On energy security, she said that maintaining diversified crude oil sources is strategically essential for a major energy-importing country like India. She urged the government to publicly assess long-term energy requirements, price stability and strategic autonomy before entering into any international commitments. Raising concerns related to the digital sector and data privacy, Selja said India’s digital sovereignty and citizens’ privacy must remain top priorities. She demanded that if the agreement contains provisions affecting these areas, they should be clearly placed before Parliament and the public. She concluded by stating that the Congress party supports balanced and equality-based international trade cooperation, but national interest must remain supreme. She urged the government to consult farmers, industry stakeholders, energy experts and digital policy specialists before taking a final decision to ensure that India’s self-reliance, sovereignty and public interest remain fully protected.
