US-India trade talks hit snag over pulses: What's the issue
The latest US-India trade talks hit a snag as references to certain pulses were removed from the White House factsheet on US farm products—something India pushed back against and negotiations on pulses are ongoing.
Talks aren't over yet, though: negotiating teams are expected to meet face-to-face in Washington to try and wrap things up.
Why are pulses a sticking point?
This deal is shaking up more than just trade lists.
The US has scrapped a 25% penalty tariff on Indian goods, and the US has proposed lowering reciprocal tariffs while India agreed in a framework to eliminate or reduce tariffs on many US products, giving the stock market a boost (Nifty shot past 25,650; Sensex topped 83,277).
India also intends to buy over $500 billion of US energy, information and communication technology, coal and other products—but agriculture's still a sticking point.
Since India relies on importing pulses (as Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan pointed out), how these talks end could impact prices and what ends up on your plate.
Plus, this could be the start of an even bigger trade agreement down the road.