Trump Asked to Push India to Reduce Dal Tariff Amid Trade Deal Talks
19 Jan 2026 10:47 PM IST19 Jan 2026 10:47 PM IST
As trade negotiations between India and the US continue, Senators Cramer and Daines have called on President Trump to advocate for removal of India's 30% tariff on pulses.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump (File Photo)
Hyderabad: Amidst the ongoing India-US trade negotiations, two US Senators have asked US President Donald Trump to push India to remove the “unfair” tariff on pulses. In a letter dated January 16, Republican Senators Kevin Cramer of North Dakota and Steve Daines of Montana highlighted that India imposed the 30% tariff on US yellow peas on October 30 last year, with the measure taking effect from November 1.
This development, which comes in the context of Trump administration’s 50 per cent tariffs on trade with India, is likely to further complicate the trade deal talks. Many perceive this to be India’s retaliation to US’ punitive tariffs, but the 30 per cent duty is for imports from every country and not specific to the US.
Montana and North Dakota are the number one and two producers of pulse crops in the United State and India is the world's largest consumer, contributing to approximately 27% of the world’s consumption.
“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 senators mentioned in the letter.
As of now, India imports pulses majorly from Canada, US and Australia.
During Trump’s first term, Cramer and Daines had written a similar letter to the US President, asking him to advocate for favorable provisions for American pulse crops in a trade deal with India. During his visit to attend the Namaste Trump event in Ahmedabad, Trump had given the letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which they said helped bring US producers to the negotiating table.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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