&w=3840&q=100)
India seeks to shield small dairy farmers in free trade talks with US
India is negotiating a comprehensive bilateral trade agreement with the United States after Washington imposed reciprocal tariffs including a 26% duty on Indian goods, later paused for 90 days.
The United States, whose dairy exports reached $8.22 billion last year, is pushing for greater access to India's dairy market, which remains shielded by high import duties and non-tariff barriers.
"It is necessary that we do not give them very cheap access to our markets," said Jayen Mehta, managing director of the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd (GCMMF), which owns Amul, a household name and the country's largest dairy brand.
"They are intended to dump their surplus in our country, which we cannot afford," Mehta said.
The average herd size in India is only two to three animals per farmer, compared to hundreds in the United States - a difference that puts small Indian farmers at a disadvantage, industry officials say.
India's dairy sector feeds more than 1.4 billion people and provides livelihoods to 80 million farmers, making it critical that trade negotiations do not harm milk producers, most of whom are rural poor, Mehta said.
India accounts for nearly a quarter of global milk production, with output reaching 239 million metric tons, more than double US output of around 103 million tons. The Indian dairy industry is valued at $16.8 billion.
New Delhi has previously excluded the dairy sector from bilateral trade agreements and will continue to protect it, as the government recognises its role in supporting small farmers, said R.S. Sodhi, president of the Indian Dairy Association.
The country's dairy industry should also be protected due to cultural and dietary considerations, as cattle in the United States are often fed feed containing animal by-products, which does not align with Indian consumer preferences, Sodhi said.
A senior official at the federal trade ministry said India is resisting pressure from the United States to open its dairy sector in the current bilateral trade talks.
India will not surrender under any circumstances, and the dairy sector will continue to enjoy protection, said the official, who did not wish to be named since the deliberations were not public.
Dairy farmers say they need government protection.
"The government needs to make sure we're not hit by cheap imports from other countries," said farmer Mahesh Sakunde from the western state of Maharashtra. "If that happens, the whole industry will suffer, and so will farmers like us."
(Reporting by Amit Dave and Rajendra Jadhav; additional reporting by Manoj Kumar; editing by Mayank Bhardwaj and Jan Harvey)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
2 minutes ago
- Hans India
Khalistani terrorist Pannun's endorsement of Trump's tariffs not pro-Punjab but betrayal: Report
Pro-Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun's support for US President Donald Trump's increased tariffs on Indian exports and even suggesting a 500 per cent hike aligns with economic harm to the Sikh community and implies that his anti-India theatrics take precedence over Sikh well-being, a report said. "For a man who claims to champion Sikh rights, backing a policy that directly threatens the lifeblood of Punjab's hardworking Sikh farmers and dairy workers is nothing short of bewildering. Or worse: hypocritical," the Khalsa Vox report stated. His support for Trump's tariffs is "not pro-Sikh, pro-Punjab" but a betrayal, it added. Punjab's economy relies mainly on agriculture and dairy. Its products, including basmati rice, textiles and processed foods, form an important chunk of India's exports to the US. The tariffs imposed by Trump would make these products expensive in the US markets. Furthermore, if India opens its agricultural markets due to tariffs, the American dairy and farm giants will enter Indian markets. Supported by heavy subsidies, American dairy and farm giants can undercut small-scale Sikh farmers of Punjab and cooperatives like Amul, according to the report. This does not have an economic impact only, but it also poses a threat to cultural traditions that link Sikh identity to the land and farming. The report said: "Consider the dairy sector, the quiet backbone of Punjab. Generations of Sikh families rely on it for sustenance and stability. If US dairy giants take over, what happens to these small farmers? The promise of Sikh self-reliance, often invoked by Pannun himself, collapses under the weight of cheap imports." Exports predict a 40-50 per cent reduction in Indian exports to the US if tariffs increase, and the Sikh community will be impacted the most. Khalsa Vox, in the report, stated: "Pannun's position exposes a troubling contradiction. His rhetoric drips with anti-India fervour, but his policy stance aligns squarely with economic harm to Sikhs themselves. By cheering on a trade war that undermines Punjab's farmers, he prioritises political vendettas over community upliftment. If his loyalty truly lies with Punjab, why endorse policies that jeopardise Sikh livelihoods? The answer seems plain: for Pannun, anti-India theatrics take precedence over Sikh well-being." Punjab's future lies in policies that protect farmers, bolster dairy cooperatives, and ensure fair trade and not in political grandstanding that sacrifices livelihoods for personal agendas, it said. "Pannun's endorsement of Trump's tariffs is not pro-Sikh. It is not pro-Punjab. It is, at its core, a betrayal."
Indian Express
2 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Bridging the talent gap: Why industry and academia must work hand in hand
Written by Dr Sanjiv Gupta The buzzword in most technical institutes is 'jobs are not available', while in corporate offices it is 'skilled staff is not available.' Indian industry faces a major challenge: the availability of talent to meet emerging requirements. Talent fuels growth. It drives innovation and keeps companies alive. A recent study across the HEI sector (Higher Educational Institutes) reconfirmed that the gap between availability and requirement persists across parameters—academic, social, human and soft skills. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 emphasised the need to revise teaching pedagogy towards experiential learning, which can be imparted through practical laboratory work and field projects. With my unique experience of thirty-seven years in the corporate sector and eight years in academics, I have noticed a common refrain among teachers: the curriculum must change to enhance collaborative student participation. Yet, when data was collected through a questionnaire, it revealed that over 70% of teachers had never visited an industry except for routine student trips. Faculty with teaching experience ranging from two to thirty years agreed that before reworking pedagogy, teachers themselves need firsthand exposure to the industrial world. The key question is: does experiential learning apply only to students, or should it extend to teachers as well? While it is widely asserted that students need hands-on training before employment, little thought has gone into training teachers to stay updated on innovations and new technology. If a faculty member learns something new, hundreds of students benefit. Basic concepts illustrated through real-life examples are easier to grasp. Students retain classroom learning better when they encounter its challenges in the real world. A survey under the Centre's flagship PARAKH programme (Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development) revealed that while schools offer skill-based courses from Grade 9 onwards, very few students opt for them. Similarly, many teachers resist enrolling in professional training programmes. This inertia may prompt the government to design a structured, ongoing professional development model. One solution is to introduce a clause in industry-academia Memorandums of Understanding mandating refresher training for faculty in industry for at least a week annually. Another is to ensure regular interaction between faculty and corporate leaders on the latest technologies. Industry, in turn, must open its doors and mentor faculty, helping them understand technological trends. India's economy is racing toward the $5 trillion mark, and the manufacturing sector alone must achieve 15% annual growth. The emerging Industry 4.0 ecosystem is defined by automation, digitisation and data-driven decision-making. Add to this the rapidly shifting geopolitical and macroeconomic environment, and the need for strong industry-academia partnerships becomes urgent. AI, machine learning, blockchain, augmented reality, and digital twins are already part of everyday life. The future will demand quick redefinition of roles, responsibilities, expectations and deliverables. Employers today seek skills beyond technical expertise: leadership, teamwork, ethical decision-making, creativity, communication, ownership, cognitive agility and empathy. But the big question remains—how do we inculcate and measure these skills? While some, like ethical decision-making and communication, can be taught in classrooms, others—like creativity and ownership—cannot be boxed into a textbook. An equally large challenge lies in evaluating these skills. India's diverse markets and sectors make it difficult to design a uniform framework. Here, Bloom's Taxonomy offers guidance, helping educators set learning objectives and assess outcomes. Such an approach could also provide recruiters with reliable benchmarks when evaluating candidates. To bridge the talent gap, four immediate measures are critical: first, the curriculum must be revised annually to incorporate emerging technologies, with students encouraged to participate in capstone projects and hackathons; second, faculty must undergo continuous professional development, with progress linked to their annual reports; third, a clear methodology is needed to inculcate and evaluate soft skills among students; and fourth, classrooms must become more inclusive, reflecting both industry realities and diverse learner profiles. The future hinges on academia and industry working in trust and alignment, with institutional success measured not just by research papers but by the entrepreneurs it nurtures. (The writer is Professor of Practice J.C. Bose University of Science and Technology, Faridabad)
Mint
2 minutes ago
- Mint
India-US trade talks deferred? Negotiators cancel August trip to New Delhi amid rising tensions, says report
The proposed trade agreement between India and the United States has likely been delayed as a visit by US trade negotiators to New Delhi scheduled this month is called off amid rising tensions, Reuters reported citing sources. The visit was originally scheduled between August 25 to 29; and this development has now dashed hopes of a reprieve from the 50 per cent tariffs regime set to kick in from August 27, as per the report. The sources added that a new date for negotiations related to the bilateral trade agreement (BTA) is yet to be decided, it added. The report noted that the US embassy in New Delhi said it has no additional information on trade or tariff talks, adding that the matter is being handled by the United States Trade Representative (USTR); while the Union Trade Ministry did not immediately respond to queries. Earlier in August, US President Donald Trump imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods, claiming that it is 'punishment' for India's continued trade ties with Russia. He further stated that India buying Russian oil is contributing to Russian President Vladimir Putin's offensive in Ukraine. The new import tax, which will come into effect from August 27, will raise duties on some Indian exports to as high as 50 per cent — lining up India among the highest penalised trading partners of the US. After Donald Trump's hike duties, trade talks between India and the US collapsed despite five rounds of negotiations. The sticking point has been disagreement over on opening India's vast farm and dairy sectors and stopping Russian oil purchases. In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said that India is being unfairly singled out for buying Russian oil while the US and its ally, the European Union (EU), themselves continue to purchase goods from Russia. (With inputs from Reuters)
