NEW DELHI: The announcement of an interim trade agreement between India and the US was met with warm applause from the BJP and its allies, with home minister Amit Shah saying it will give “another boost to India’s roaring growth engine”. The ruling alliance was dismissive of the opposition’s charge that the agreement harmed farmers, insisting that India had successfully protected its core interests. Shah said, “Translating PM Narendra Modi’s vision of a Viksit Bharat into an inevitable reality, the agreement makes way for a boom for Make in India, hardworking farmers, entrepreneurs, MSMEs, startup innovators, and fishermen while providing employment for youth and women.” Defence minister Rajnath Singh said it will expand export opportunities, strengthen labour-intensive sectors, attract high-quality investments and create large-scale employment.
