The GM Standoff: Why Trump's Push for Soy and Corn Has India on Edge

As the United States pressures India to open its market to genetically modified (GM) soy and corn, a high-stakes trade negotiation is putting millions of farmers on edge and forcing New Delhi into a difficult political corner. According to Al Jazeera, the standoff pits President Donald Trump's trade agenda against India's identity as a global supplier of non-GM crops.

Washington's Gambit, New Delhi's Guard

At the heart of the dispute is Washington's demand for access to India's vast agriculture sector. The U.S. is seeking new markets for its soy and corn after a trade war with China, once its top buyer, caused sales to plummet. "Trump has to sell this soya and corn so as not to annoy his big political base of the soya [and] corn farmers," said Suman Sahai, founder of the nonprofit Gene Campaign. To increase pressure, the U.S. has already imposed 50 percent tariffs on various Indian exports.

India's resistance is rooted in its agricultural brand. The country produces about 13.05 million tonnes of soy and 42 million tonnes of corn, and has carved out a niche in the international market by promoting its crops as non-GM and 'organic'. Policymakers and exporters worry that allowing GM imports would create a perception of contamination, potentially destroying the premium they command. "The import of GM material would create a doubt of adulteration in the minds of foreign buyers," warned corn exporter Hemant Jain.

The View From the Fields

For Indian farmers, the threat feels existential. Many, like Mahesh Patel in Madhya Pradesh, are already struggling with erratic weather and poor harvests. He told Al Jazeera that excessive rain destroyed his crops, yielding just 9,000kg—one-fifth of his usual output. Farmers complain of being squeezed by low prices from traders and the high cost of seeds and fertilizers.

They fear they cannot possibly compete with heavily subsidized U.S. agribusiness. One farmer noted that while an Indian farm might produce one metric tonne of soy per acre, GM varieties can yield up to three. "Indian farmers can’t win against the U.S. government’s subsidized agri-commodities," said analyst Indra Shekhar Singh. "They would capture the complete market in a few years, leaving our farmers in deep poverty."

A Nation Divided and a Government on a Tightrope

The debate, however, is not one-sided. Some scientists and industry figures in India argue that GM technology could be a boon. An anonymous government scientist said insect-resistant GM crops would reduce the need for expensive pesticides, while poultry feed supplier Kawaljeet Bhatia noted that increased yields would benefit the entire supply chain. Bhatia suggested, however, that India should develop its own GM seeds rather than importing them.

The Indian government is proceeding with extreme caution. Agriculture contributes 18 percent to the country's GDP and supports 46 percent of its population. The memory of the massive farmers' protests that rocked the nation in 2020-21 is still fresh, making any decision on agriculture politically explosive. "The government is definitely concerned about its vote bank before taking any decision," political commentator Sibaji Pratim Basu told Al Jazeera.