India Reluctant to Accept Conditions on GM Maize and Soybean Imports
15-Dec-2025 01:55 PM
New Delhi: A high-level US trade delegation visited India last week and, during trade talks, attempted to pressure India into allowing the import of US genetically modified (GM) maize and soybeans as part of a bilateral trade agreement (BTA).
However, it is understood that the Indian side was not prepared to agree to this. The US is aware that India has restrictions on the production, use, import, and trade of GM food crops, but it is still not withdrawing its condition, and therefore, the bilateral trade treaty is not being signed.
The US agricultural sector is facing a serious crisis. There has been a massive production of maize and soybeans, but unsatisfactory export performance has created financial uncertainty for farmers. US warehouses are overflowing with stocks of maize and soybeans, but there is a lack of buyers, which is why the US is putting immense pressure on India to purchase them.
According to experts, due to trade disputes with China, disruptions in the global market, and increased competition from exporting countries like Brazil, US farmers are struggling to get profitable prices for their products.
The Trump administration believes that if they gain access to the vast Indian market, it will provide a better alternative to China and farmers will start earning good incomes. US negotiators are aggressively pushing for the export of soybeans and maize, along with other agricultural products, to India.
On the other hand, India has repeatedly informed the US that although it is its largest trading partner, it is still not in a position to import US maize and soybeans. The import of GM crops is restricted in India, and lifting this restriction is not easy.
Importing non-GM maize and soybeans from the US is also difficult. There is less demand for them in India, and non-GM crops constitute a very small share of the total US production. This will remain a red line for India, as India can only import non-GMO agricultural products.