US Flags India’s Tariff Barriers As Key Issue In Ongoing Trade Talks’

WASHINGTON, DC– The United States has identified tariff barriers in India as a key priority in ongoing trade negotiations, with United States 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 the Office of the United States Trade Representative, Greer said the United States has been engaged with India for over a year to finalize 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.

He added that an Indian delegation is scheduled to visit the United States next week as negotiations continue.

Greer said tariff barriers remain a sticking point, particularly in sectors where United States exporters have lost market share.

“We have discussed apples many times… I’ve personally raised it with my counterpart,” he said, indicating that the issue has been taken up at senior levels.

American lawmakers cited India’s 50 per cent tariff on apples as a key example, saying it has sharply reduced the United States share of the market. In 2018, United States apples accounted for 53 per cent of India’s imports, but that share has since fallen to about 8.5 per cent, while competitors such as Iran, Turkey and Afghanistan have gained ground.

Greer said Washington is seeking a more balanced arrangement under which United States 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 United States is not seeking to undermine India’s domestic producers.

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

Greer said the United States has concluded multiple agreements with trading partners and is working to expand export opportunities for American farmers and manufacturers.

Lawmakers said tariffs have raised costs for United States 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, United States exporters risk losing further ground to competitors benefiting from preferential trade arrangements with New Delhi.

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

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