Amid growing speculation surrounding Indo-US trade relations following the United States’ imposition of 25 percent tariffs on Indian exports, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) issued an official clarification on Sunday, debunking viral social media posts falsely claiming that India is planning to suspend or review its bilateral agreements with Washington.
The misinformation, widely circulated on X (formerly Twitter), claimed that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had released a statement threatening the suspension of Indo-US treaties in response to what was termed as “hostile economic policies” under the Trump administration.
PIB’s Fact Check unit categorically dismissed these claims, stating: “The External Affairs Ministry has not made any such statement. Stay alert and do not fall for misleading information. The above is from Govt of India.”
Several social media posts are falsely claiming that the External Affairs Ministry (@MEAIndia) stated ‘India may suspend or review bilateral agreements with the U.S due to hostile economic policies’#PIBFactCheck
▶️The External Affairs Ministry has not made any such statement… pic.twitter.com/WIM0PiSoVt
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) August 3, 2025
The fact-check was accompanied by screenshots of fabricated social media posts, which attempted to attribute unverified remarks to the MEA. The Bureau urged citizens to verify news from credible government sources before sharing it further, especially in matters related to foreign policy.
The clarification comes in the wake of heightened anxiety following US President Donald Trump’s July 30 announcement of a sweeping 25 percent tariff on Indian imports, effective August 1. The move targets a wide range of Indian goods, particularly textiles, gems and jewellery, electronics, and apparel, citing India’s “unfair trade practices”, high import tariffs, and its continuing defence and energy partnerships with Russia.
This sudden tariff hike has triggered concern across India’s business and export sectors, where companies fear major disruptions in trans-Atlantic supply chains and potential job losses.
Earlier this week, the Ministry of External Affairs had already addressed concerns about deteriorating trade ties with the US. A spokesperson reaffirmed that:
“India remains in active and ongoing diplomatic engagement with the United States regarding trade and economic issues. Bilateral agreements are not under review or suspension, and both countries continue to work toward a balanced trade partnership.”
The MEA stressed that diplomatic channels remain open, and negotiations are underway to address trade imbalances without impacting strategic partnerships, particularly in defence and the Indo-Pacific.
This incident once again underlines the increasing importance of PIB’s Fact Check initiative, launched to curb the spread of fake news, especially in sensitive domains like foreign policy, national security, and public welfare.
Citizens are advised to cross-verify all major announcements with official government channels, such as PIB, MEA, or relevant ministries, before drawing conclusions from viral social media narratives.
