'Push for favourable crop provisions': Republican Senators to Trump on US-India trade deal

Republican Senators on Friday urged President Donald Trump to push for “favourable crop pulse provisions in any agreement with India” as the long-pending bilateral trade deal remains in limbo.

The appeal came in a letter written by Senators Kevin Cramer and Steve Daines, just days after India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The two leaders discussed cooperation in trade, defence, and security.

“Thank you for your efforts to secure a favourable economic environment for North Dakota and Montana agricultural producers. As trade negotiations progress, we encourage you to push for favourable crop provisions in any agreement the United States signs with the Republic of India,” the senators wrote.

They said the issue should be raised during negotiations, as North Dakota and Montana are the top two producers of pulse crops in the US, including peas. The senators noted that India is the world’s largest consumer of pulses, accounting for nearly 27 per cent of global consumption.

“The most commonly consumed pulse crops in India are lentils, chickpeas, dried beans, and peas, yet they have levied substantial tariffs on American pulse crops,” the letter said.

On October 30, 2025, India announced a 30 per cent tariff on yellow peas, with the higher duty coming into effect from November 1, 2025. “As a result of the unfair Indian tariffs, US pulse crop producers face a significant competitive disadvantage when exploring their high-quality product to India,” the senators added.

Referring to Trump’s first term in office, they said the former president had hand-delivered their earlier letter on the issue to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during trade negotiations in 2020. While backing Trump’s efforts to expand market access for US agricultural commodities, the senators said American farmers are “ready to help fill the gap”.

“They have tremendous capacity to feed and fuel the world if trade opportunities are unleashed. Engaging Prime Minister Modi on pulse crop tariffs to enhance the economic cooperation between our countries would be mutually beneficial to both American producers and Indian customers,” the letter stated.

India-US ties have faced a fresh strain after Trump imposed 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods in 2025, including a 25 per cent penalty linked to Russian oil purchases. Despite multiple rounds of talks, the two sides have been unable to conclude a bilateral trade agreement.

One of the major points of disagreement between India and the United States is the agriculture sector. While Washington has been pressing for expanded access to India’s farm market, New Delhi has remained firmly protective of it.

Nearly 40–45 per cent of India’s workforce relies on agriculture for its livelihood, with most farmers operating on small and marginal landholdings of under two hectares. Greater exposure to US competition could overwhelm these farmers, potentially leading to widespread livelihood disruption.

Last week, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick claimed that the trade deal could not be signed in 2025 because Prime Minister Modi did not call Trump, suggesting the Indian side was uncomfortable with the agreement. The Indian government, however, swiftly rejected the claim.