Daines recaps India trade mission in press conference

Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., held a press call Monday to recap a trade mission he took last week to India recently to try and reduce tariffs on American pulse crop imports.

Daines said Montana is the number one producer of pulse crops in the U.S., and India, as the world's number one consumer of pulse crops, is an extremely important trading partner.

In speaking with Montana pulse crop producers, he said, it became clear that trade relations with India is the highest priority issue for many of them.

He said, due in part to aggressive protectionist policies and retaliation for Trump-era tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, India has extremely high tariffs on U.S. pulse crops, which has a huge negative effect on Montana producers.

He said when he spoke with pulse crop importers in the country he learned that many of them would be happy to buy from Montana producers were it not for the tariffs.

Daines said he met with India's Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal to talk about this issue in advance of the Trade Policy Forum between the U.S. and India later this month, where more specific discussions on issues like this would take place.

He said he would not be able to attend the forum, but wanted a chance to speak with Goyal in advance of the event to make his case more directly.

He described Goyal as a remarkable and influential leader, thought by many to be a likely candidate for India's prime minister.

Daines said he hand delivered letters from the Montana Farm Bureau, Montana Grain Growers Association, and USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council urging India to reconsider these tariffs for the benefit of both countries.

Daines said this has been an issue for some time and India and the U.S. both have an interest in improving trade relations given they are both large democracies and share many values and ideals.

He said they did not discuss possible concessions from the U.S. during their meeting but he's glad to have had the opportunity to have this meeting.