Chennai Office India’s trade agreement with the US underscores New Delhi’s effort to protect politically sensitive farm and dairy industries even as it opens wider export channels for manufacturing and labour intensive goods.

By David Lawder, Andrea Shalal and Shivangi Acharya WASHINGTON, Feb 3 (Reuters) - India will grant the United States some limited access to its market for agricultural products but maintain key protections,

India exports agricultural goods worth about USD 3.4 billion to the US each year, while imports from the American market stand at roughly USD 2.1 billion. This trade balance, the official said, reflects the strength of Indian agriculture in meeting global demand.

Greer confirmed that under the agreement, India will reduce tariffs on American industrial goods to zero from the current average of 13.5 percent, while duties on several consumer categories will also be eliminated.

As Budget 2026 reshapes agricultural policy around technology and climate resilience, industry leaders assess whether AI and reforms can make farming viable

The Trump camp hails the India-US trade deal as a boost for American farm exports, but India has yet to confirm details as Congress questions tariffs, farm access and farmer safeguards.

Indian Agriculture Minister assures FTAs include safeguards to protect agriculture and dairy sectors from unfair competition.

Venkatesan Sundaresan, a Distinguished Professor of plant biology and plant sciences at the University of California, Davis, has been awarded a Gates Foundation grant to develop self-cloning crops for Indian farmers.

India's financial markets rallied sharply on Tuesday (February 3) after a trade deal that slashed U.S. tariffs on Indian goods to 18% from 50%, a development that investors said lifts a key negative for the country's stocks,