Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Monday (June 30, 2025) said that the governmental Think-tank of Niti Aayog withdrew a working document on business relations in the USA.
He argued that the Niti Aayog document called for free imports from the United States to import genetically modified maize (GM) of corn and soya, and claimed that the Narendra Modi government favors the Midwest American farmers over its counterparts in states such as Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan.
The Aayog had in a working document entitled “Promotion of Agricultural Trade in India-USA under the new US business regime”, proposed that, as a result of “reciprocal tariffs” stored USA, India would also accept dual trace approaches and selectively reduce existence to insensitive agriculture.
“It was a work document Niti Aayog about the promotion of agricultural trade in India-USA in the new US business regime, which was officially released on May 30, 2025, but a few days later is officially withdrawn,” Ramesh said in post X.
In another post, he claimed that the document Niti Aayog urged to allow free import of GM and Soya from the USA free of charge
“For Modi Sarkar, the interests of Midwestern American farmers and large multinational traders are larger than the interests of Bihar and Soy Farmers, Maharashtra and Rajasthan,” he said.
The WHO allowed the release of the post and it is a preview of the upcoming Indo-USA business agreement, the former Minister of Trade unions asked.
When he was contacted, Niti spokesman Aayog did not offer any comment.
The working document noted that the sudden announcement of “mutual tariffs” and an increased access to the US export market after Donald Trump’s re -election as the US President in January sent shock waves around the world, especially among America’s business partners.
“India can also strategically offer concessions where there are domestic gaps in deliveries, for example in edible oils and trimming,” he said.
He notes that India is the largest importer of edible oil in the world and the US has a huge export surplus of soybeicity, which is GM, and stated that India can offer the US in the import of soy oil to meet the requirements in this country and reduce business imbalance without damaging domestic production.
The contribution also suggested that India negotiate a greater approach to the American market with high -performance exports such as shrimp, fish, spices, rice, tea, coffee and rubber. India earns approximately $ 5.75 billion per year from Agri-Exports to the US, which extends it through an exception to duties or TRQ, should be part of business interviews.
Meanwhile, India has hardened its position on agriculture related issues because negotiations with the American team in Washington entered the decisive phase, the official said on Monday.
The official also stated that the stay of the Indian team headed by a special secretary at the Ministry of Trade Rajesh agrawal is likely to be extended.
The team is in Washington for negotiations on a temporary trade agreement with both US parties to conclude an agreement before the deadline of 9th July for a complete implementation of 26% of the mutual tariff, which has been suspended since April.
“If the proposed business interviews fail, 26% of the tariffs will come into force again,” the official added.
The stay of Indian officials has been extended by three days until 30 June. Initially, the delegation was planned to spend two days in the US, and the interviews started on June 26.
Another official stated that the Ministry of Trade reported domestic exporters and industry, that interviews were taking place for the first phase of the proposed bilateral trade agreements.
There would be more phases.
These interviews are significant because both countries are dealing with negotiations on the Provisional Commerce Agreement and seek to complete the contract before 9 July, the date for the expiration of the survival of the reciprocal tariffs deposited by Trump 2.
April 2, at..s, deposited another 26% reciprocal tariff on Indian goods, but suspended it for 90 days. However, 10% of the basic tariff stored by the US remains. India is looking for a complete exception of another 26% of the tariff.
The US requires concessions in the field of agriculture and milk.
However, these segments are difficult and demanding areas for India that have concessions in the US, because Indian farmers are nutrition and have small land.
Therefore, these sectors are also politically sensitive.
India has not opened the milk industry for any of its business partners in any free trade contracts that it has signed so far.
The US wants concessions about certain industrial goods, cars, especially electric vehicles, wines, petrochemical products, dairy and agricultural objects such as apples, tree nuts and GM crops.
India is looking for concessions for industries demanding work, such as textiles, gems and jewelry, leather goods, clothing, plastics, chemicals, shrimp, oil seeds, grapes and bananas in the proposed business pact.
Both countries are also trying to conclude interviews for the first trance of the proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA) in the fall (September-October). The Pact is focused on more than double the two -sided shop at $ 500 billion by 2030 from the current $ 191 billion.
Before the first tranše, he seeks a provisional trade agreement.
The American team was here from June 5 to June 11 for interviews. Negotiations will continue practically and physically in the coming days.
Indian exports of goods to the US increased by 21.78% to USD 17.25 billion in April in May, while imports increased by 25.8% to $ 8.87 billion.
Published – 1 July 2025 07:50
