Pankaj Chadha, the Chairman of the Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC), has publicly criticized the United States Trade Representative's (USTR) recent report on India, describing the US's tariff actions as a strategic maneuver to exert pressure during ongoing Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) discussions. He expressed confidence that the USTR's claims would not hold up in court, referencing a previous Supreme Court ruling that deemed such tariffs illegal. Chadha pointed out the contradictions in the proposed trade agreement, questioning why India should agree to duty-free access for certain US products while facing an 18% duty on its exports. He firmly denied allegations of forced labor in India, calling them baseless. Furthermore, he raised concerns regarding the operational status of India's Free Trade Agreement with the UK, which is stalled due to a steel tariff dispute, arguing that imposing new duties after signing an agreement is unjust. Chadha's remarks reflect a broader apprehension about the fairness and integrity of international trade negotiations.