Piyush Goyal says sensitive agriculture sectors will remain protected under India-US trade deal
February 7, 2026: Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday clarified that India will not offer import benefits to the United States on a wide range of agricultural products under the proposed India-US bilateral trade agreement. Addressing a press conference, Goyal said the decision was taken to safeguard domestic farmers and rural livelihoods, stressing that India is largely self-sufficient in agriculture and cannot risk exposing sensitive sectors to foreign competition.
The minister said key farm products such as meat, poultry, dairy, soyabean, maize, rice, wheat, cereals, millets, fruits, green tea, oilseeds, honey, ethanol and tobacco have been excluded from import concessions. He noted that India has consistently followed this approach in trade talks with the European Union, the United Kingdom and Australia. Emphasising agriculture’s role in employment and food security, Goyal said protecting domestic producers remains a top priority in all trade negotiations.
Highlighting the benefits of the proposed agreement, Goyal said it would open access to a $30 trillion US market for Indian exporters, benefitting MSMEs, farmers and fishermen. He added that several Indian exports such as gems and jewellery, pharmaceuticals and smartphones will continue to enjoy zero-duty access. In agriculture, products like spices, tea, coffee, coconut, cashew, areca nut and various fruits and vegetables are expected to gain from zero reciprocal tariffs, potentially generating lakhs of new jobs, especially for women and youth.