India has safegurded the interests of farmers and dairy producers during negotiations with the United States that led to a successfull trade deal, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal told Parliament on Wednesday.
“Last year, negotiators from both sides held detailed discussions on various levels. Keeping the important interests of both sides in mind, it is natural that both sides would want to safeguard their respective important and sensitive areas and ensure the best possible results,” Goyal said in Lok Sabha, amid disruptions by Opposition members.
“During the discussions, the Indian side was successful in safegaurding the interests of its sensitive sectors, especially agriculture and dairy… With a year of discussions, the two sides succeeded in giving the final form to various sectors of the bilateral trade agreement,” he added.
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Opposition MPs raised concerns over the lack of details regarding the trade deal which could open up India’s protected agriculture and allied sector to US producers. President Donald Trump first announced the agreement via social media late Monday. The two countries are yet to publish a detailed statement on the trade deal, along with the timeline for the implementation of its framework.
US tariffs on a wide range of Indian exports will be reduced from 50% to 18%, providing relief to several labour-intensive and export-oriented sectors, bringing it at a competitive level with Southeast Asian exporters. The two sides have been locked in negotiations since early 2025.
Goyal had previously said labour-intensive sectors were particularly upbeat about the US-India trade deal, noting that fishermen and seafood exporters are among those expected to benefit the most.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters during a briefing that India committed to not only stop purchasing Russian oil to clinch the deal, but buy energy from the US and Venezuela. “PM Modi committed to an investment of $500 billion into the United States, including energy, transportation and agricultural products,” she said.
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