By: The Trek News Desk
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal have asserted that the interim trade arrangement between India and the United States does not contain any provision that could adversely impact Indian farmers. He emphasised that all sensitive agricultural commodities have been deliberately excluded from the agreement, ensuring full protection of farmers as well as the MSME sector.
On Saturday, February 7, 2026, India and the US released a joint statement announcing that both sides have agreed on the framework of an Interim Trade Agreement and will continue negotiations toward a comprehensive Bilateral Trade Agreement in the coming months.
Addressing a press conference later in the day, Mr Goyal clarified that no concession has been offered on products that are critical to India’s agricultural economy. He said genetically modified goods will not be permitted to enter the Indian market, and the US has not been granted tariff benefits on items such as meat, poultry, dairy products, soybean, maize, rice, wheat, sugar, millets, fruits and vegetables, pulses, oilseeds, ethanol, and tobacco.
The commerce minister highlighted that the interim deal brings significant advantages for Indian exporters, with import duties in the US being reduced from as high as 50% to zero in several key sectors.
These sectors include gems and jewellery, pharmaceuticals and generic medicines, aircraft and machinery components, select auto parts, platinum, watches and clocks, essential oils, home décor items like chandeliers and lamp components, along with certain chemicals, paper, plastic, and wood-based products.
In addition, several agricultural and food products from India will now enjoy duty-free access to the US market. These include spices, tea, coffee, coconut and coconut oil, areca nut, cashew nuts, chestnuts, Brazil nuts, fruits such as mangoes, bananas, guavas, kiwis, papayas, mushrooms, vegetable planting materials, roots, cereals like barley, and some processed food items.
Mr Goyal acknowledged that India has agreed to lower or eliminate tariffs on select items that the country either does not produce domestically or produces in insufficient quantities. He explained that while some tariffs have been removed with immediate effect, others will be reduced gradually, and certain products will be subject to quota-based concessions.
The items include apples, Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS), wines and spirits under a minimum import price mechanism, pistachios, walnuts, almonds, specific industrial inputs, medicines used in cancer, cardiac, and neurological treatments, select cosmetics, organic and inorganic chemicals, computer-related products, and various medical devices.
Calling the agreement a strategic win, the commerce minister said the US has agreed to supply India with critical ICT products, which will support growth in the technology and healthcare sectors.
The government maintains that the interim trade deal is balanced and growth-oriented, safeguarding the interests of farmers while boosting exports and strengthening India’s industrial and economic ecosystem.
Source: News Agencies
