India-US Trade Negotiations Highlight New Era of Reciprocity

India-US Trade Negotiations: As Washington works to cushion American farmers from volatile global demand, India-US trade negotiations have surged into an unusually active phase, with senior officials now pointing to what they describe as New Delhi’s most ambitious agricultural market-access proposal to date.

Testifying before a Senate Appropriations subcommittee on Tuesday, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer offered lawmakers a rare note of optimism, revealing that a USTR team was currently “in New Delhi, as we speak,” dissecting long-standing agricultural barriers that have historically frustrated American exporters.

Greer did not sugarcoat the challenges. India, he noted, continues to show “resistance… to certain row crops,” particularly grain sorghum and soy—two commodities that US producers have struggled to position in the Indian market. Yet he underscored a key shift: “They’ve been quite forward-leaning,” he told senators, calling the latest proposal “the best we’ve ever received as a country” in bilateral agricultural discussions.

For US farmers burdened by swelling inventories and see-sawing Chinese demand, Greer suggested that India was no longer an aspirational target, but “a viable alternative market” capable of absorbing large volumes of American commodities. “We have to find a way to manage that trade,” he urged, emphasizing that while India remains a “difficult market to crack,” current engagements are far more advanced than those seen under previous administrations.

India-US Trade Negotiations: Pressure From Farmers, Push for Market Diversification

Committee Chair Jerry Moran, whose home state of Kansas depends heavily on grain sorghum exports, pressed Greer on securing more predictable outlets for US agricultural output. Pointing to stockpiles accumulating across the Midwest, Moran remarked, “It’s such a difficult country to crack,” in reference to India.

Greer agreed—but insisted the administration’s diplomatic and commercial engagements had entered a new phase of seriousness. According to him, India’s willingness to negotiate is unfolding in parallel with a broader US strategy aimed at lowering trade deficits, strengthening reciprocity, and expanding structural market access.

“We’re opening market access all over the world in places like Southeast Asia and even in Europe,” Greer said. These global openings, he argued, improve Washington’s leverage with major partners such as India, ultimately helping US farmers secure more predictable, long-term access to key markets.

Beyond Agriculture: Tariffs, Civil Aviation, and Broader Market Rules in Focus

While agriculture dominated much of the discussion, Greer signalled that India–US trade negotiations were moving on multiple fronts—including the aerospace and civil aviation sectors. Asked about the future of zero-tariff treatment for civil aviation components under the 1979 Aircraft Agreement, Greer said talks with India were “fairly far advanced.”

He hinted that an expanded agreement may be on the horizon: “We can certainly talk about extending treatment to those countries… if they’re willing to play ball and give the United States the market access it should have.”

The conversation broadened further when Senator Moran raised India’s potential to emerge as a major buyer of US-produced ethanol made from corn and soy. Though Greer stopped short of specifying India’s position, he noted that multiple nations had recently reopened their doors to American ethanol, citing the European Union’s commitment to purchase $750 billion in US energy products, including biofuels.

India-US Trade Negotiations: Farmers Under Stress, Administration Pushes Aggressive Enforcement

Several senators voiced concern about the mounting pressure on American farmers, who are caught between fluctuating Chinese purchases and the global churn of tariff realignments. Greer, however, maintained that the administration’s aggressive pursuit of reciprocal agreements was creating opportunities where few had existed before.

“We’re breaking the mold of conventional wisdom in Washington,” he said, pointing to new commitments from major trading partners on tariffs, regulatory frameworks, and FDA acceptance for American pharmaceuticals.

Throughout the hearing, Greer remained adamant that assertive enforcement—including strategic tariffs—was key to unlocking markets and ensuring compliance. “They respond to enforcement,” he said. “That’s how we’re able to generate compliance and market opening.”