Farmers’ interests remain paramount while negotiating trade deals: Govt tells LS
India is actively involved in discussions on the India-US BTA, which is aimed at expanding trade and investment, and deepening the US-India trade relationship
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PTI
The government has reiterated that the livelihood interests of Indian farmers remain paramount for it while negotiating trade agreements with international partners, including the US.
Replying to a question on the Indo-US trade deal in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Ramnath Thakur, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, said India is actively involved in discussions on the India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), which aims at expanding trade and investment and deepening the US-India trade relationship to promote growth that ensures fairness, national security and job creation, especially in labour-intensive sectors, including agricultural products.
Stating that the ongoing discussions are focussed on how to take an integrated approach to strengthen and deepen bilateral trade by mutually increasing market access, reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers, and deepening supply chain integration, Thakur said in a written reply: “Further, the livelihood interests of our farmers and requirements of food security have always been paramount for the government while negotiating trade agreements with our international partners, including the US.”
Even the Union Commerce Ministry also expressed the same views on the Indo-US trade talks.
5 rounds of talks
In a written reply, Jitin Prasada, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, said the government is actively involved in the discussions on the India-USA BTA with the US. India US BTA negotiations were launched in March 2025. Five rounds of negotiations have been held, the last being from July 14-18, 2025 at Washington, USA.
“To safeguard the interests of farmers and the domestic industry, international trade negotiations allow for the inclusion of sensitive, negative, or exclusion lists—categories of goods on which limited or no tariff concessions are granted. In addition, in case of surge in imports and injury to the domestic industry, a country is allowed to take recourse to trade remedial measures such as anti-dumping and safeguards on imports within the periods as mutually agreed to by the parties under FTAs,” he said.
Published on August 5, 2025
