Senators Urge Trump to Tackle India’s 30% Tariff on American Crops

2026-01-17 politics

Washington, Saturday, 17 January 2026.
Lawmakers press Trump to combat India’s retaliatory 30% tariff on US pulses, aiming to reclaim access to the world’s largest market for disadvantaged American farmers.

New Diplomatic Push for Agricultural Access

On January 16, 2026, Republican Senators Steve Daines of Montana and Kevin Cramer of North Dakota formally urged President Donald Trump to prioritize the removal of India’s tariffs on American pulse crops in future trade negotiations [1][4]. The senators, who represent the top two pulse-producing states in the U.S., argue that the current duty rates place American farmers at a distinct competitive disadvantage in a critical export market [3][6]. The core of the dispute centers on a 30% tariff on U.S. yellow peas, which the Indian government announced on October 30, 2025, and implemented on November 1, 2025 [1][2]. This levy is composed of a 10% basic customs duty combined with a 20% Agriculture Infrastructure and Development cess [4].

Escalating Trade Tensions

The imposition of these tariffs is widely viewed as a retaliatory measure following President Trump’s decision in August 2025 to levy a 50% tariff on Indian imports, half of which was linked to India’s continued trade of oil with Russia [4][6]. Prior to this policy shift, yellow peas were permitted to enter the Indian market duty-free, a concession that was originally expected to remain in place until March 2026 but was revised following pressure from domestic Indian farmers [4]. Geopolitical experts note that while the Indian tariff went largely unnoticed domestically at the time, it effectively nullified relief measures that had been granted to U.S. pulses in 2023 [2][6].

Navigating Complex Negotiations

This diplomatic push mirrors similar efforts made during President Trump’s first term. Ahead of the 2020 trade negotiations, Senators Daines and Cramer raised comparable concerns regarding “unfair” tariffs, prompting President Trump to personally deliver a letter on the matter to Prime Minister Modi [1][2]. The current trade landscape remains fraught; while bilateral trade saw a robust year-on-year rise of 22% in November 2025, a comprehensive deal has remained elusive [6]. Broader financial indicators suggest a hardening of India’s strategic position, with recent data indicating that India reduced its holdings of U.S. Treasury bonds by over 50.7 billion USD [6].

Sources

Agriculture Trade tariffs