Tariff barriers in India under focus in ongoing talks: Top US official

The United States has identified tariff barriers in India as a key priority in ongoing trade negotiations, with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer telling lawmakers that Washington is pressing for improved market access for American exports. 

Speaking at a congressional hearing on the fiscal 2027 budget for his office, Greer said the US has been engaged with India for over a year to finalise a reciprocal trade framework, with agriculture emerging as a central point of contention.

“We’ve been working with the Indians for over a year… I met with their ambassador this week as well to try to bring that agreement to a conclusion,” Greer said. An Indian delegation is scheduled to visit the US next week.

He indicated that tariff barriers remain a sticking point, particularly in sectors where US exporters have lost ground. “We have discussed apples many times… I’ve personally raised it with my counterpart,” he added, signalling that the issue has been taken up at senior levels.

American lawmakers pointed to India’s 50 per cent tariff on apples as a key example, noting that it has sharply reduced US market share. In 2018, US apples accounted for 53 per cent of India’s imports, but that share has since declined to about 8.5 per cent, with competitors such as Iran, Turkey and Afghanistan gaining ground.

Greer said Washington is seeking a more balanced arrangement under which US exporters would have a fair opportunity in markets where India continues to rely on imports.

“To the extent India is going to be importing apples, we want them also… to be importing it from America too,” he said, while stressing that the US is not seeking to undermine India’s domestic producers.

The comments come as the Trump administration continues its broader strategy of leveraging tariffs to secure market access and reshape trade relationships.

Greer told lawmakers that the US has concluded multiple agreements with trading partners and is working to expand export opportunities for American farmers and manufacturers.

Lawmakers said that tariffs have raised costs for US businesses and consumers, while also triggering retaliatory measures abroad that complicate export growth.

For American agricultural producers, India represents both a significant opportunity and a persistent challenge.

Lawmakers warned that without tariff reductions, US exporters risk losing further ground to competitors benefiting from preferential trade arrangements with New Delhi.

Greer emphasised that negotiations remain ongoing and that no final deal has been reached.

“Nothing’s done until it’s done in these negotiations,” he said.

Picture Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons