Overview

• NITI Aayog has officially withdrawn the working paper titled “Promoting India–US Agricultural Trade Under the New US Trade Regime” less than a week after its May 30 publication.
• The report had recommended duty-free imports of genetically modified soybean and maize to address trade imbalances while enforcing strict sanitary and phytosanitary measures.
• Congress leader Jairam Ramesh and farmer unions including Bharatiya Kisan Sangh have challenged the withdrawal and questioned the legality of GM crop imports under existing Indian law.
• Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had affirmed that no new GM seeds will be introduced, highlighting a policy contradiction with the NITI Aayog proposals.
• Indian and US negotiators are working to finalise a deal ahead of President Trump’s July 9 reciprocal-tariff deadline, with agriculture remaining India’s key red line.