The resistance to increasing US corn imports has become a significant point of friction in ongoing trade talks between the United States and India. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick highlighted the issue, noting that despite having 1.4 billion people, India does not import a single bushel of corn from the US. The primary reasons for this minuscule amount of imports, which averaged only about $2 million between FY18 and FY25, are higher import tariffs and India’s restrictions on genetically modified corn.
While imports from the US have remained negligible, India’s total corn imports from all other countries have surged dramatically. In fiscal year 2025, India’s total corn imports rose by an astounding 571% to $259.81 million. In contrast, imports from the US were a mere $2.2 million in FY25, accounting for only 0.1% of India’s total agricultural imports from the US. This data underscores the minor role the US plays in India’s corn supply chain despite being a major global producer.
The share of US corn in India’s total inbound shipments has fallen sharply, from 8.4% in FY23 to just 0.8% in FY25. This trend illustrates the deep-seated challenges in agricultural trade between the two nations, particularly concerning issues like genetically modified crops. The disparity between India’s total corn imports and the small fraction coming from the US highlights the specific hurdles that need to be addressed to smooth out trade relations.