Trump To Get Taste Of His Own Medicine? India’s Quiet Tariff On US Pulses Sparks Fresh Trade Tensions

India quietly imposed a 30% import duty on US yellow peas last year, a move now viewed as a silent response to punitive American tariffs. The decision has resurfaced as US lawmakers press Donald Trump, adding fresh tension to stalled India-US trade talks.

Photo Credit: IANS

Did India quietly push back against Donald Trump by raising taxes on US pulses? A largely unnoticed tariff hike on American yellow peas is now threatening to become a new flashpoint in already-stalled US-India trade talks.

At the heart of the issue is a 30% import duty imposed by India on yellow peas from the United States. Announced on October 30 last year and effective from November 1, the move drew little public attention at the time. But it has now triggered sharp criticism from US lawmakers, who see it as a retaliatory step against the steep tariffs imposed by the Trump administration earlier.

A Tariff That Flew Under The Radar

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The tariff came back into focus after two Republican senators, Kevin Cramer of North Dakota and Steve Daines of Montana, wrote to President Donald Trump on January 16, urging him to press India to roll back what they called an “unfair” duty.

“India announced on October 30 that it will impose 30% tariff on yellow peas imported from the US. The tariff went into effect on November 1,” the senators wrote. “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 move was not publicly highlighted by the Indian government, a silence that analysts say reflects New Delhi’s careful handling of strained ties with Washington.

“That means India did retaliate to US tariffs by raising tariffs on imported pulses to 30%, which went into effect in October 2025,” author and geopolitical expert Navroop Singh wrote on X. Another user summed it up more bluntly: “We retaliated silently.”

Why Pulses Matter

The issue is especially sensitive for US farm states such as North Dakota and Montana, which are major producers of peas and other pulses. For these states, access to the Indian market is crucial.

India is the world’s largest consumer of pulses, accounting for around 27% of global consumption. Lentils, chickpeas, dried beans, and peas are staple foods for millions of Indians.

“The most commonly consumed pulse crops in India are lentils, chickpeas, dried beans and peas,” the senators noted. “Yet, they have levied substantial tariffs on American pulse crops.”

Echoes Of An Old Trade Fight

This is not the first time pulses have become a sticking point between the two countries. During Trump’s first term, the same senators raised the issue after India was removed from the US Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) in June 2019.

In a reminder of the personal diplomacy that once defined the relationship, the senators recalled that Trump had “hand-delivered” their letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during trade talks in 2020. “It helped bring our producers to the (negotiating) table,” they said.

That year also saw Trump’s high-profile visit to India, capped by the “Namaste Trump” event in Ahmedabad, where both leaders projected warmth and camaraderie.

Trouble Ahead For Trade Talks

With a comprehensive US-India trade deal still elusive, the pulses dispute risks adding another layer of complexity. The senators have urged Trump to secure better market access for American farmers before finalising any agreement with New Delhi.

What was once a quiet policy decision has now turned into a political issue, raising a pointed question --- was India’s tariff hike a calculated, low-key response to US pressure, or simply another sign of how fragile the trade relationship has become?