New Delhi/IBNS: Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi will bow to US President Donald Trump's July 9 deadline and sign a trade deal.

Rahul made the remark after India's Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said the country's interest is above the deadline served by the United States.

The Congress MP said on X, "Piyush Goyal can beat his chest all he wants, mark my words, Modi will meekly bow to the Trump tariff deadline."

Goyal on Friday said India will agree on a trade deal only when it's a win-win for both the parties as the officials are holding a series of talks to finalise an agreement.

"The national interest will always be supreme. India is always ready to strike a deal with any developed country but only if our national interest is protected," said the Commerce Minister and added, "India never signs a trade deal under a deadline. We will accept a deal only when it's finalised and beneficial for India."

Trump has said he doesn't intend to extend the 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs beyond July 9.

'We are beyond the middle of negotiation': Jaishankar on India-US trade deal

Days ago, India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India and the United States are "hopefully" beyond halfway of the negotiation for the long-awaited bilateral trade deal.

Speaking to Newsweek, Jaishankar said, "We are in the middle, hopefully more than the middle, of a very intricate trade negotiation…we do think today that in trade, there will have to be some give and take.

"Just as people in the US have an opinion about India, Indians too have an opinion about the US. There will be some sort of middle ground, we just have to wait and watch the space for the next few days."

'India remains a very strategic ally in Asia Pacific'

When asked whether the trade deal is set to be signed soon, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt recently said, "... I actually just spoke to the Secretary of Commerce about it. He was in the Oval Office with the President, they are finalising these agreements..."

"India remains a very strategic ally in the Asia Pacific. The President has a very good relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and he will continue to have that," she added.

Rahul Gandhi's 'Narender Surrender' jibe at PM

Addressing a rally in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal, Rahul Gandhi had claimed India "surrendered" during May 7-10 military conflict with Pakistan upon the direction of US President Donald Trump.

"Now I understand BJP-RSS very well. They get scared and run away under pressure like they did in front of Trump. Trump said, 'Modi-ji... what are you doing? Narender, surrender'. Narendra Modi-ji said 'ji huzoor' and acted as per Trump's command."

Rahul reminded the crowd about his grandmother and late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's decision to go into the Liberation War with Pakistan in 1971 despite the US objections.

"You would remember the Seventh Fleet (from the US) came but Indira Gandhi went ahead with the war. This is the difference. It is their (BJP-RSS) character, all of them are like this. Since Independence, they have had this habit of writing 'surrender' letters."