India To Relax Tariffs On Us Food, Drink Imports But Finer Details Awaited

WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 13: U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meet successful nan Oval Office astatine nan White House connected February 13, 2025 successful Washington, DC. Prime Minister Modi is gathering pinch President Trump to talk tariffs and waste and acquisition relations successful nan aftermath of President Trump’s announcement connected implementing reciprocal tariffs. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Food and portion characteristic successful nan interim waste and acquisition statement betwixt nan US and India but nan finer specifications and tariff position person yet to beryllium afloat ironed out.

A associated declaration from nan 2 governments connected Friday (6 February) and a further endorsement by nan White House yesterday (9 February) stated nan parties had “reached a model for an interim statement regarding reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade”.

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Friday’s connection said India will “eliminate aliases trim tariffs” connected immoderate US nutrient and cultivation products specified arsenic caller and processed fruit, vino and spirits, soybean lipid and character nuts.

Unspecified “additional products” are besides included, on pinch “all US business goods”.

A afloat database of nan US nutrient and beverage items that will use from nan woody will nary uncertainty beryllium keenly awaited from nan broadside of President Trump but husbandman organisations successful India person already reportedly put retired nan rallying outcry for protests.

In turn, Trump said successful a White House connection yesterday that he would region nan 25% tariff connected Indian imports imposed arsenic a punishment for Prime Minister Narendra Modi continuing to acquisition lipid from Russia.

That was agreed successful “recognition of India’s committedness to extremity purchasing Russian Federation oil”, nan connection read.

Separately, nan US will little nan alleged reciprocal tariff connected India equipment – imposed by Trump connected dozens of countries arsenic portion of his wide onslaught connected unfair waste and acquisition – from 25% to 18%, efficaciously cutting rates for India from 50%.

Meanwhile, India has committed to bargain much US products worthy successful excess of $500bn wrong sectors listed arsenic energy, accusation and connection technology, agriculture, coal, and “other products”.

As Just Food and its sister publication Just Drinks await a consequence for remark connected nan model statement from nan Consumer Brands Association successful nan US, a waste and acquisition assemblage successful nan spirits class was optimistic.

Speaking successful nan discourse of India’s tariff cuts connected Bourbon almost a twelvemonth ago, and nan much caller waste and acquisition agreements struck by nan EU and nan UK pinch nan Asian country, nan main of nan Distilled Spirits Council (DISCUS) offered an assessment.

“Last year’s tariff simplification connected US spirits imports to India was an important first measurement that opened caller opportunities for Bourbon producers successful nan world’s largest whiskey market,” DISCUS president and CEO Chris Swonger said successful a statement.

“With India now reaching agreements pinch nan EU and nan UK to importantly trim tariffs connected their spirits, we are hopeful that this caller US-India statement will unafraid comparable tariff reductions crossed each categories of US distilled spirits, ensuring adjacent and competitory entree to nan Indian marketplace.”

Meanwhile, nan US and India jointly said they will “promptly instrumentality this model and activity towards finalising nan interim agreement”.

The connection from nan White House yesterday added: “In statement pinch nan roadmap group retired successful nan position of reference for nan BTA [bilateral waste and acquisition agreement], nan United States and India will proceed negotiations to reside nan remaining tariff barriers, further non-tariff barriers, method barriers to trade, customs and waste and acquisition facilitation, bully regulatory practices, waste and acquisition remedies, services and investment, intelligence property, labour, environment, authorities procurement, and trade-distorting aliases unfair practices of state-owned enterprises.”

Over successful India, husbandman organisations, including Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) and nan All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), person pledged to clasp nationwide protests connected Thursday (12 February) successful guidance to nan waste and acquisition agreement, according to section media.

The New Indian Express cited a statement from nan SKM calling for nan resignation of Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal amid what nan waste and acquisition assemblage said was a “total surrender” of Indian agriculture.

SKM urged Prime Minister Modi not to motion nan US agreement, while nan AIKS said nan effect of nan waste and acquisition woody could dispersed beyond agriculture into dairy.