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United States Representative Pramila Jayapal raised concerns over trade barriers and immigration policies affecting India-US economic and people-to-people ties. Her remarks came during the House Foreign Affairs South and Central Asia Subcommittee's hearing titled 'The US-India Strategic Partnership: Securing a Free and Open Indo-Pacific'.
Jayapal pointed to ongoing tariff challenges impacting both countries, stressing their consequences for businesses and consumers. She said, "We also are facing challenges around tariffs, both here in the United States and in India. These tariffs are damaging India's economy and also hurting American businesses and consumers." To underline the issue, she cited the experience of a long-standing family business in her home state. "Just last week, I heard from a fifth-generation family-owned company in Washington State that relies on agricultural products from India that can't be sourced at scale in the United States. They told me that these tariffs are the greatest threat to their business in over 120 years, and they're looking at either downsizing or offshoring their production to meet increased costs," she said. Jayapal then linked these trade concerns to broader disruptions in bilateral ties, criticising recent immigration policies. "Meanwhile, this president has threatened people-to-people ties by shutting down legal pathways to immigrate, reminiscent of a legacy of discriminatory quotas that made it extremely difficult for Indians to immigrate in the first place," she said. Her concerns over tariffs came as trade tensions escalated further following comments by US President Donald Trump on Tuesday. Trump warned of possible new tariffs on India's rice exports, accusing New Delhi of "dumping" cheap rice into the American market and harming US farmers. His remarks were made during a White House meeting where he also announced a USD 12 billion aid package for American agricultural producers. During the meeting, several US farmers complained that low-cost imports from India, Vietnam and Thailand were driving down domestic prices. Responding to these concerns, Trump questioned why additional duties had not been imposed on India and said he would "take care" of the alleged dumping, signalling that fresh tariffs could soon be considered. These developments came as a US trade delegation was already in India on December 10-11 for negotiations that have struggled to yield substantial progress. The ongoing talks have been weighed down by disagreements over market access and tariff measures, deepening strain in the trade relationship. The United States had earlier imposed 50 per cent tariffs on most Indian goods in August 2025 amid broader trade disputes and concerns over India's purchases of Russian oil. Trump's latest warning has added fresh uncertainty to already difficult negotiations, heightening the risk of further trade friction between the two countries. (ANI)
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