Two US senators have asked former President Donald Trump to take up the issue of high Indian tariffs on American pulse crops during ongoing trade talks between India and the United States. The senators say these tariffs are hurting US farmers and should be reduced as part of any future trade deal with India.
In a letter dated January 16, 2026, Senators Kevin Cramer of North Dakota and Steve Daines of Montana urged Trump to focus on the issue of pulses such as lentils, peas and chickpeas. These crops are widely grown in their states and are also in high demand in India, which consumes nearly 27% of the world’s pulses.
India has imposed 30% tariff on US pulses
The senators wrote that Trump should “push for favourable crop pulse provisions in any agreement the United States signs with the Republic of India.” They pointed out that India imposed a 30% tariff on US yellow peas starting November 1, 2025, a move they described as unfair to American farmers.
“As a result of the unfair Indian tariffs, US pulse crop producers face a significant competitive disadvantage when exporting their high-quality product to India,” the senators said in the letter. They argued that these duties make US pulses more expensive and less competitive in the Indian market.
The lawmakers thanked Trump for his past support of farmers and said he had earlier taken personal interest in the issue. During his first term as president, Trump had “hand-delivered” a similar letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which they said helped bring pulse producers “to the table” for discussions, as per reports.
Unclear whether India will roll back tariffs
According to reports, the senators stressed that US farmers are capable of meeting global food demand if trade barriers are removed. “US farmers have tremendous capacity to feed and fuel the world if trade opportunities are unleashed,” they wrote. They also said that reducing tariffs would benefit both sides, adding that “engaging Prime Minister Modi on pulse crop tariffs to enhance the economic cooperation between our countries would be mutually beneficial to both American producers and Indian customers.”
The appeal comes at a time when India-US trade talks remain unresolved. The India-US trade relations have not been great after the US imposed high tariffs on Indian goods in 2025. It included duties linked to India’s purchase of Russian crude oil. Agriculture and dairy products remain sensitive issues for India which have made the negotiations difficult.
It is not yet clear that New Delhi will agree to the US request which could potentially help ease tensions.
