Govt will protect farming interests in talks with U.S., says EAM Jaishankar

As farmers organisations threatened protests against U.S. and Indian trade negotiations underway in Delhi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on Wednesday that concerns over allowing American agricultural products into the Indian market were known to them, and the negotiators should be trusted to ensure India’s “best interests.” The Minister did not deny that market access for agricultural and dairy products is on the agenda for discussion on a bilateral trade agreement, which was reported by The Hindu on Tuesday. The farmer’s front, Samyukt Kisan Morcha, has said that they will hold protests demanding that the U.S. delegation “must go back.” The Hindu had reported that U.S. negotiators were keen to discuss access and low tariffs for a range of American agricultural products, including corn, soybean, cotton, rice, pulses, and dairy products, which have long been a protected area in Indian imports. ‘Wait and see’ Speaking at a public event in Delhi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said that issues over giving market access for agricultural products have been “noted” by the government, and it was necessary to trust Indian trade negotiators. Defending the negotiations with the U.S. for a Bilateral Trade Agreement, Mr. Jaishankar said that there is a “sound business case” for the deal, and a different version was being negotiated with the first Trump administration, but had not been completed as the Trump government expected they would win the 2020 election and lost instead.