US walks back on pulses, agri sector claims in factsheet

Washington: The White House quietly revised its factsheet on the India-US trade framework, removing a claim that New Delhi would reduce tariffs on ‘certain pulses’ and walking back assertions that India would eliminate digital services taxes and had ‘committed’ to purchase $500 billion in American products.

The updated factsheet, released after the original version went public on Monday, deletes “certain pulses” from the list of agricultural products on which India agreed to reduce tariffs. The original specifically included pulses alongside items like tree nuts, soybean oil, wine, and spirits. These corrections were made after New Delhi flagged inadvertent inclusion of wordings and items the two parties did not agree on, people aware of the matter said, asking not to be named. Pulses are a politically sensitive sector in India, the world’s largest producer and consumer of the crop, which includes lentils, chickpeas, and dry beans. The removal suggests New Delhi successfully pushed back on the characterization.

The White House also removed the assertion that India “will remove its digital services taxes,” with the revised version only stating India “committed to negotiate” digital trade rules.

India already removed its 6% equalisation levy on digital advertising services effective April 1, 2025, through the Finance Bill 2025—nearly 10 months before the trade framework was announced. In a third change, the factsheet now says India “intends to buy” more American products rather than “committed to buy” them—language that matches the February 7 joint statement signed by both countries. The word “agricultural” was also removed from the product purchase list. There was no immediate comment from the White House on the revisions.