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White House drops reference to 'certain pulses' in revised fact sheet on trade deal with India

February 11, 2026 5 min read International Relations Economics GS2 (International Relations) GS3 (Economics)
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What Happened

  • The White House dropped the reference to "certain pulses" from its revised factsheet on the India-US interim trade framework, after the original version listed pulses among agricultural products on which India would reduce tariffs.
  • The original factsheet stated India "committed" to purchasing over $500 billion of US energy, ICT, agricultural, coal, and other products; the revised version changed "committed" to "intends" and removed "agricultural" from the product category list.
  • The revisions were made after India flagged that the factsheet included items and language that went beyond the agreed framework captured in the India-US Joint Statement of February 6, 2026.
  • India's Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal had separately stated that the deal would protect "sensitive agricultural and dairy products" including maize, wheat, rice, ethanol, tobacco, and some vegetables.

Static Topic Bridges

India's Pulse Economy and Import Regime

India is both the world's largest producer and consumer of pulses, yet faces chronic production shortfalls that necessitate significant imports. The pulse import regime is one of India's most politically sensitive trade policy areas because it directly affects the livelihoods of millions of small and marginal farmers who grow tur (arhar), urad, masoor, and chana. The government uses a dynamic tariff and quantitative restriction framework to manage domestic prices and farmer incomes.

  • India produced approximately 23-24 million tonnes of pulses annually but consumes around 27-28 million tonnes, resulting in a structural import dependency
  • India imported 6.63 million tonnes of pulses in 2024, up from 3.31 million tonnes in 2023 (a 100% increase)
  • Current duty regime: tur and urad are duty-free until March 31, 2026; masoor attracts 10% (5% BCD + 5% AIDC); yellow peas carry 30% duty from November 1, 2025
  • The CACP (Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices) recommends MSP for pulses; the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approves it
  • Budget 2025-26 announced a 6-year National Mission on Pulses with special focus on tur, urad, and masoor, with Rs 1,000 crore allocation
  • Major pulse exporting countries to India: Myanmar, Mozambique, Tanzania, Canada, and Australia

Connection to this news: The inclusion of "certain pulses" in the original factsheet alarmed Indian farmer groups and the opposition, as reducing tariffs on pulse imports could undermine domestic prices and the government's own push for pulse self-sufficiency under the National Mission. India successfully pushed back, and the reference was removed in the revised factsheet.

Agricultural Subsidies and Market Access in International Trade Negotiations

Agricultural market access is among the most contentious issues in trade negotiations globally. The WTO Agreement on Agriculture (AoA), which came into effect in 1995, established disciplines on domestic support (subsidies), export subsidies, and market access for agricultural products. Developing countries like India have consistently argued for special treatment to protect food security and farmer livelihoods.

  • The WTO AoA classifies subsidies into three "boxes": Green Box (non-trade-distorting, no limits), Blue Box (production-limiting, permitted), and Amber Box (trade-distorting, subject to reduction commitments)
  • India's trade-distorting domestic support (Amber Box) is subject to a de minimis limit of 10% of the value of production for developing countries
  • The Peace Clause (Bali Ministerial, 2013) provides an interim mechanism allowing developing countries to exceed subsidy limits for public stockholding for food security purposes without facing WTO disputes
  • India's applied tariff on agricultural products averages 36.7% (simple average MFN), compared to 5-6% for the US (WTO, 2024)
  • India's bound tariff (maximum permissible) for agriculture averages 113.1%, giving significant policy space to raise applied tariffs if needed
  • The Sensitive Products and Special Products concepts allow developing countries to shield certain products from full liberalisation

Connection to this news: The pulse tariff issue falls squarely in the broader debate over agricultural market access. India's ability to get pulses removed from the factsheet reflects its use of the policy space between applied tariffs and bound tariffs, and the political imperative of protecting sensitive agricultural products from import competition.

In trade diplomacy, the distinction between "committed," "intends," "shall," and "will" carries significant legal weight. "Committed" implies a binding obligation that can be enforced under the dispute settlement mechanism. "Intends" signals a political aspiration or best-effort undertaking without creating an enforceable obligation. This distinction is critical in WTO jurisprudence and bilateral trade agreements.

  • Under the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (1969), treaty terms are interpreted in their ordinary meaning in context (Article 31)
  • WTO Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) panels have held that the use of "shall" creates a mandatory obligation, while "should" or "may" creates discretionary provisions
  • In trade agreements, "commitment" language typically triggers MFN obligations and can be the basis for a dispute complaint
  • "Intends to purchase" language is closer to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) framework -- politically significant but not legally binding
  • India's past trade agreements (e.g., India-UAE CEPA) use precise binding language ("shall eliminate," "shall reduce") for tariff commitments

Connection to this news: The change from "committed to buy" to "intends to buy" $500 billion of US products is a significant softening. It transforms the $500 billion figure from a quasi-binding trade commitment to a political aspiration, giving India more flexibility in actual procurement decisions.

Key Facts & Data

  • Original factsheet: listed "certain pulses" among agricultural products for tariff reduction; revised version removes pulses entirely
  • Language change: "committed to buy" changed to "intends to buy" on $500 billion purchase
  • "Agricultural" removed from the $500 billion product category list in the revised version
  • India's pulse production-consumption gap: approximately 3-4 million tonnes annually
  • India's pulse imports: 6.63 million tonnes (2024), up 100% from 2023
  • India's bound tariff for agriculture: 113.1% (average); applied tariff: 36.7% (average MFN, WTO 2024)
  • Protected agricultural products per India: maize, wheat, rice, ethanol, tobacco, certain vegetables
  • Products India agreed to reduce tariffs on: DDGs, red sorghum for animal feed, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, soybean oil, wine and spirits