US Senators pitch for favourable pulse crop provision in potential India-US trade pact

US Senators have written to US President Donald Trump, pitching for a favourable pulse crop provision in the potential trade pact, making it the latest irritant in the already long-delayed India-US trade deal.

In a letter dated January 16, 2026, US Senators Kevin Cramer and Steve Daines have encouraged the US President "to push for favourable pulse crop provisions in any agreement the United States" signs with India as trade negotiations progress.

Thanking the US President for his efforts to secure a favourable economic environment for agricultural producer states of North Dakota and Montana, the Senators highlighted that both states are the top two producers of pulse crops, including peas. India is the world’s largest consumer of these crops, contributing to approximately 27% of the world’s consumption. The letter pointed out that the most consumed pulse crops in India are lentils, chickpeas, dried beans, and peas, adding that India has "levied substantial tariffs on American pulse crops."

India had announced on October 30, 2025, that it would impose a 30% tariff on yellow peas, with the higher duty coming into effect on November 1, 2025. The Senators claimed that as a result of the unfair Indian tariffs, US pulse crop producers face a "significant competitive disadvantage when exporting their high-quality product to India."

The letter highlighted that the Senators had also written to the US President in his first term on the issue, who had hand-delivered their letter to India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 2020 trade negotiations. Stating that engagement with India's PM Modi on pulse crop tariffs to enhance the economic cooperation would be mutually beneficial to both American producers and Indian customers, the Senators added that American farmers are ready to help fill the gap as the US aims to rebalance trade disparities.

As discussions continue with the United States for a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), India's Commerce Ministry had indicated that while talks are "very near" to conclusion, a deadline can't be set for the same. The Ministry indicated that a deal will only happen when both sides feel it's ready, adding that a virtual meeting took place between India's Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and the US Trade Representative last month.

Stating that both sides have entered negotiations with a positive mindset and feel there will be a trade deal, the Commerce Ministry said that sectoral data will have to be analysed to gauge the impact of US tariffs on India's exports.

Terming exports to the US as a "mixed bag", the Commerce Ministry pointed out that while exports of pharmaceuticals are continuing and have even grown for electronic goods to the US in the absence of applicability of tariffs, losses in opportunities for marine exports have been balanced via export diversification.

Indicating that US tariffs have impacted exports of textiles, the Ministry added that the government is trying to support diversification via initiatives like the Export Promotion Mission as well as via new export avenues through FTAs with the UK, Oman, and New Zealand, which are aimed to be operationalised within the current calendar year itself.