New Delhi: First it was oil, now it’s Indian rice in the firing line of US President Donald Trump. At a White House meeting on 8 December, he promised to “take care of” India’s alleged dumping of rice in the US, with tariffs of course. This threat, which comes at a time trade talks between the two countries are stalled, adds a fresh layer of doubt over India’s rice shipments to the US, a small but high-value export.

The subject of Indian rice came up as Trump hosted a White House roundtable discussion with US farmers, agricultural lawmakers, and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, where he also announced a 12 billion dollar aid package for the farm sector. During the meeting, US farmers expressed their frustration, accusing India, Vietnam, and Thailand of “dumping” cheap rice into Ame

See Full Page