The Niti Aayog has withdrawn a working paper recommending imports of genetically modified (GM) soybean and corn from the United States, underscoring the government’s unwavering stance against allowing transgenic food products over biosafety concerns.
The move comes despite sustained US pressure in trade talks to ease what it views as a non-tariff barrier. The withdrawn paper — Promoting India-US Agricultural Trade under the New US Trade Regime — was released in May and co-authored by Niti Aayog member Ramesh Chand and senior adviser Raka Saxena. It argued that GM corn could be used for ethanol blending and in by-products such as Distiller’s Dried Grains with Solubles, without impacting domestic food and feed markets.
Although the document carried a disclaimer stating the views were personal, its removal from the Aayog’s website reflects the Centre’s reluctance to shift policy on GM food crops. Currently, India permits the commercial cultivation of only one GM crop — transgenic cotton, a non-food commodity.
The government’s position aligns with the Swadeshi Jagaran Manch (SJM), an affiliate of the RSS, and several left-leaning farm groups, all of which oppose both cultivation and import of GM food.
The paper had also proposed a “dual-track” approach to India-US agricultural trade, advocating selective imports of non-sensitive items like almonds, pistachios, and walnuts that do not compete with domestic production.
India continues to maintain a surplus in agricultural trade with the US. Between 2004 and 2024, India’s farm exports to the US jumped from $1.18 billion to $5.75 billion, while imports rose from $291 million to $2.22 billion.
By shelving the proposal, the government has signalled that self-reliance and biosafety will remain central to its food policy, even in the face of international trade pressure.