India-US trade deal: No import benefits given in…; Piyush Goyal says Modi govt wont allow…

India excludes key agricultural products from US trade pact while opening $30T market for exporters, boosting jobs for farmers and youth.

Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday assured that India will not extend import benefits to the United States on a wide range of agricultural products. Speaking to the media about the recently announced India-US trade agreement, Goyal emphasized that this decision reflects India’s self-sufficiency in agriculture and its commitment to safeguarding domestic farmers.

“The products excluded from import concessions include meat, poultry, dairy, soybeans, maize, rice, wheat, cereals, millets like jowar, bajra, and ragi, fruits, green tea, oilseeds, groundnuts, honey, non-alcoholic drinks, ethanol, and tobacco,” Goyal detailed during the press briefing.

This approach sets India apart from its other free-trade deals with countries like the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Australia, where broader concessions have been negotiated. Traditionally, India has shielded sensitive sectors such as dairy, rice, wheat, meat, cereals, GM foods, and soymeal from trade agreements due to their critical role in the country’s economy.