'No concession that harms Indian farmers in India-US interim trade deal': Piyush Goyal

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal

• India-US trade deal protects farmers, excludes sensitive farm products
• Indian farm exports to US get zero-duty access; no tariff relief for US goods
• Deal boosts MSMEs and job creation, especially in labour-intensive sectors

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Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday said the framework for the India-US interim trade agreement has been structured in a manner that fully protects Indian farmers while opening up fresh opportunities for agricultural exports and job creation, particularly through MSMEs and labour-intensive sectors.

No harm to farmers, sensitive items kept out

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Saturday, the Minister asserted that no item has been included in the agreement that could adversely affect Indian farmers. “We have not included any item where any Indian farmer will be hurt,” he said, adding that all sensitive agricultural products had been excluded from the deal.

Goyal categorically stated that “no genetically modified items will enter India,” and that the government has not extended any tariff relief to the US on products such as meat, poultry, dairy, soybean, maize, rice, wheat, sugar, millets, oilseeds, ethanol and tobacco. He also underlined that there were no concessions on several fruits and pulses, including bananas, strawberries, citrus fruits, green peas, kabuli chana and moong.

According to him, while Indian farmers remain protected at home, the agreement creates significant export opportunities abroad. “Agricultural products from Indian farmers will be exported to the United States at zero duty. At the same time, no tariff concessions have been granted for agricultural products from US farmers entering the Indian market,” he said.

Duty-free access for farm exports

The Minister listed a wide range of agricultural and allied products that would benefit from zero-duty access to the US market. These include spices, tea, coffee, copra, coconuts and coconut oil, vegetable oils, areca nut, Brazil nuts, cashew nuts, chestnuts, and several fruits and vegetables such as avocados, bananas, guavas, mangoes, kiwis, papaya and mushrooms, along with some processed food items.

He also pointed out that duties on many exports to the U.S. have been brought down sharply. “Several sectors will see duties reduced from 50% to zero,” Goyal said, describing this as a major boost for Indian exporters and a positive step in India’s growth trajectory.

Big thrust to jobs and MSMEs

Emphasising the employment potential of the agreement, Goyal said it would give a strong push to MSMEs that employ large numbers of women and youth. “It is a big thrust to MSMEs employing a large number of women and youth,” he said.

He added that rising exports from labour-intensive sectors such as textiles and apparel, leather and footwear, toys, and gems and jewellery to the U.S. would translate into large-scale job creation. “Lakhs of jobs will be created while boosting domestic manufacturing,” the Minister said, linking the expected gains to the broader Make in India initiative.

Calling the announcement of the framework historic, Goyal said the outcome of discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump had opened new doors for Indian farmers, workers and entrepreneurs, offering “new hope, renewed enthusiasm, and fresh resolve” for the Indian economy.